Middle East war risks undermining Syria’s fragile recovery, Security Council hears

Claudio Cordone, the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, and Joyce Msuya of the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, briefed ambassadors alongside Syrian Olympic athlete Yusra Mardini, a Goodwill Ambassador with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

Mr. Cordone began by addressing how "the alarming regional escalation" is impacting Syria, which continues along the path to political transition more than a year after the overthrow of the Assad regime and 14 years of civil war.

"Incidents inside Syrian territory have mainly involved the crashing of debris following interception of Iranian missiles and drones in Syrian airspace, causing civilian casualties, and one incident of shelling from Lebanon attributed to Hezbollah," he said.

Israeli helicopter and drone operations in Syrian airspace have also increased, and Israeli forces continued to carry out incursions into Syrian territory.

Thousands flee from Lebanon

Furthermore, Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon have killed both Lebanese and Syrian citizens and forced roughly 140,000 people, mostly Syrian nationals, to cross into Syria in search of safety.

"I reiterate our call in this context on Israel to fully respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, adhere to the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, and refrain from any actions that could undermine Syria's stability and political transition," he said.

The envoy commended the Syrian Government for its engagement with regional and international stakeholders to insulate the country from further escalation and ensure that its territory is not used in ways that could widen the conflict.

"Syria's steady but fragile recovery -political, institutional and economic - could be undermined by the impact of a prolonged regional conflict," he warned.

"Let us redouble efforts to support Syria in shielding itself from this conflict, and let us refocus on helping Syria continue, and even accelerate, its path towards recovery, reconstruction and stability."

'New strain at a fragile moment'

Ms. Msuya, the UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, reported on the humanitarian aspects of the crisis.

"For Syria, this escalation adds new strain at a fragile moment - one that still offers a genuine opportunity for progress," she said.

She noted that falling debris has killed or injured several people, in addition to damaging property, while the scores of people who fled from Lebanon join some 1.5 million refugees who have returned from neighbouring countries since December 2024.

A 'fragile' opportunity

Yet, humanitarian operations continue in Syria despite airspace restrictions, the closure of the airport in the capital Damascus, and heightened security risks.

"As we have consistently told this Council, Syria has an important opportunity to move towards economic recovery, to gradually reduce humanitarian needs, and to lessen reliance on large-scale humanitarian assistance," she said.

"But this opportunity remains fragile and will require sustained international support, particularly in the face of the regional volatility."

Diplomacy, aid and investment

Ms. Msuya made three requests to ambassadors, first calling for "sustained diplomatic engagement to resolve remaining flashpoints" and ensure stability necessary for people to return home and recovery to begin.

"This includes consolidating security improvements in areas like northeast Syria, where recent violence has added to existing needs. But it also includes addressing the current regional escalation," she said.

"Beyond the danger of direct military spillover, the prolonged disruption to shipping routes, coupled with the rising prices of fuel, fertilizer and other essential goods, could deal a serious blow to Syria's already fragile economy - just as it begins to recover and reconnect with the world after years of conflict and isolation."

She also stressed the need to sustain critical humanitarian assistance in the near term, as operations remain constrained by funding shortfalls, liquidity challenges and the lack of banking and other services in many parts of the country.

"It would be a tragic mistake if our support to the people of Syria lost momentum now," she said.

Breaking down 'walls of division'

Ms. Mardini - a member of the first refugee team to compete at the Olympic Games - described herself as a child of war. She said half of all children in Syria today have never known a single day of peace.

She emphasised that her homeland requires years of recovery that is not only physical.

"Syria also requires reconciliation and societal recovery. A future where no religious sect divides us, and where no one group is favoured over another. We must break down the walls of division, not build new ones," she said.

Ms. Mardini also spoke of the challenges facing young Syrians and urged the international community to provide financial support, investment, and capacity-building so Syria can once again build a world-class education system.