Effect of Syrian Sanctions Must Be Mitigated to Ensure Aid Delivery - UN Envoy

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th March, 2021) The effect of Syrian sanctions must be reduced to make sure that the country's population can benefit from the humanitarian assistance, UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said Tuesday, joining similar calls of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Under-Secretary-General Mark Lowcock.

"I also echo their call that the effect of sanction measures need to be mitigated so Syria's capacity to access humanitarian assistance and medical support is not hindered," Pedersen said at Brussels-hosted Syria donor conference.

Pedersen remarked that the situation on the ground had been relatively "calm" over the past year "with stable frontlines for now over a year."

"But let's not be misled by this calm. In this context, the military tensions remain high and frequent eruptions of violence continue to occur," the envoy continued.

The groups that are recognized as terrorist organizations by the UN Security Council remain a threat, Pedersen added. The international community should not be indifferent to their resurgence, the envoy said.