UN Security Council to hold monthly meeting on Syria
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold its monthly meeting on Syria today.
The most recent meeting on Syria, held in November, included discussions on progress towards convening the Constitutional Committee and the agenda for its upcoming meeting. The needs of refugees and internally displaced persons were key to discussions, particularly in relation to the ongoing pandemic and the coming (northern) winter. Council members also touched on existing sanctions against Syria.
Nevertheless, vital cross-border aid to Syria remains under threat as the UNSC was unable to overcome Russian and Chinese objections to the program. Syrian ally Russia only sought to approve two Turkish crossings for six months and drafted its own resolution that failed to pass as well.
The current authorisation for the four border crossings in Turkey, Iraq and Jordan ends on January 10 and the Security Council could still attempt to reach an agreement. Expect today’s meeting to involve further deliberations on the delivery of aid as UN diplomats are eager to reach an agreement before Christmas, after which UNSC membership will shift. An extension of the current authorisation of cross-border deliveries also remains a possibility.
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