Int’l community’s assistance important to Syria: Ambassador

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN, has highlighted the importance of the international community’s assistance to Syria to speed up the political process and improve the humanitarian situation.

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN

Addressing the UN Security Council’s monthly briefing on the political situation in Syria on December 16, Quy expressed his concern over difficulties facing Syrian people due to impacts of social instability, economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ambassador called on parties involved to promote dialogue to gain a long-term political solution and put the interests of the Syrian people first.

He also acknowledged progress in negotiations of the Syrian Constitutional Committee in late 2020, adding that this is an opportunity to reach a breakthrough in talks to amend the Constitution as well as in the political process in the country.

At the briefing, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General Geir Pedersen said that the fourth negotiation round of the Constitutional Committee took place in Geneva from November 30 to December 1, during which the Government, oppositions and socio-political associations discussed the foundation and principles of the nation with the bridging role of the UN.

Major differences remain, but the parties involved showed their willingness to negotiate and discuss several substantial contents to seek similarities.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock said that the number of reported COVID-19 cases in Syria continued to rise, with the number of infections in schools – which are often overcrowded and often suffer poor or damaged infrastructure – more than tripling during November.

“The market price of a standard reference food basket is higher than at any point” since the World Food Programme (WFP) began price monitoring in 2013, he said, noting that more than 80 percent of displaced families across Syria said that their income does not cover their needs.

He also added that 34 percent of all children, more than one in three under five in north-west Syria suffer from stunting./.

VNA