UN Humanitarian Chief meets Al-Assad in Syria in earthquake aftermath

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United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric announced that  Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad met with United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths.

During a press brief on Monday, Dujarric said "Mr. Griffiths met with President Assad a short while ago. We are still waiting for a readout of that meeting."

President al-Assad emphasized to Griffiths "the need for urgent aid to enter all areas in Syria, including areas under occupation and under the control of armed terrorist groups."

The President also advised to "focus international efforts on helping to rebuild the infrastructure in Syria, because this is an urgent necessity for the stability of the Syrian people and the return of Syrian refugees to their cities and regions."

For his part, Griffiths referred during the meeting to the "rapid response of the Syrian government in rescue and relief work," and stressed that "the United Nations is working to support relief efforts and meet the humanitarian needs of the Syrians." 

Over the weekend Griffiths visited areas affected by the devastating earthquake that hit Syria and is expected to relay his impressions, to the UN, regarding the humanitarian situation in the country.

UN admits: 'We have failed the people in northwest Syria'

The UN announced on Sunday that the international community has so far abandoned Syrians as they struggle to secure basic needs and aid to respond to the devastating earthquake that struck the country on February 6.

UN's Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, said that although a convoy of supplies was delivered by the organization to northwest Syria through Turkey, the effort was not enough as millions more have been impacted by the catastrophe.

"We have so far failed the people in northwest Syria. They rightly feel abandoned. Looking for international help that hasn't arrived," Griffiths said on Twitter.

At the #Türkiye-#Syria border today.
We have so far failed the people in north-west Syria.
They rightly feel abandoned. Looking for international help that hasn’t arrived.
My duty and our obligation is to correct this failure as fast as we can.
That’s my focus now.

— Martin Griffiths (@UNReliefChief) February 12, 2023

"My duty and our obligation is to correct this failure as fast as we can. That’s my focus now," he added.

The recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria have killed over 33,000 people and caused a severe humanitarian crisis in the latter, which is already dealing with the aftermath of a decade-long war.

Read more: Exclusive: Syrian government sending aid to armed-groups-held areas

Sanctions obstructing relief efforts in Syria

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last week, on February 9, that sanctions on Syria should not be impeding relief efforts in the quake-struck country.

"This is a moment in which everybody has to make very clear that no sanctions of any kind interfere with relief to the population of Syria in the present moment," Guterres said at a briefing.

"People are facing nightmare on top of nightmare," Guterres added, noting that the lack of aid materials to assist with relief efforts was also a serious issue.

The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, also told reporters in Geneva on February 9 that "Emergency response must not be politicized," noting that aid is needed to get to state-controlled areas, as well as those controlled by militants.

The Security Council will likely meet in a few days to discuss the situation in Syria, while Guterres urged the council to allow the opening of new border access points between Turkey and Syria to transport aid into the northwestern part of the country.

Read more: GoFundMe refusing to fund Syria relief effort, funding White Helmets