syria-un-20161223 7

United Nations Nations Unies Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 7 Though we continue to operate in an environment of acute humanitarian need, we are hindered by persistent obstacles in delivering much needed assistance. For cross-line inter-agency convoys, ongoing insecurity in many areas, and administrative delays on the part of Syrian Government in the approval of facilitation letters and convoy plans continue to hamper our efforts. What was reduced to a two-step approval process earlier this year has gone back again to being a 10-step process and we have only secured agreement from the Syrian Government for one convoy so far this month, reaching 6,000 people. This is despite receiving initial approvals to reach almost 800,000 people in December. We need timely approvals and simplified approval procedures. We have immediate capacity to deliver to 300,000 people in besieged and hard to reach areas per week, should the access be allowed by the parties to the conflict. Mr. President, distinguished members of the Security Council, We end 2016 at a place where humanitarian and protection needs are as acute and severe as they have ever been amidst continued fighting across the country. Despite all the challenges, the United Nations, ICRC, SARC and our key humanitarian partners, though their heroic staff on the ground continue to try to reach every Syrian in need, but collectively we are falling unforgivably short in our responsibility at the global level to support them and I therefore call upon all Members of the Council and all parties to the conflict and their allies to redouble their efforts to end this conflict and in the meantime provide more effective support to humanitarian action for the innocent victims of this conflict. As has been stated so many times, there is no humanitarian solution to this crisis. We welcome the announcement by the UN Special Envoy de Staffan de Mistura on the resumption of political talks in February. As the number of those dying, displaced and suffering continues to rise as we end 2016, a new political commitment to peace will be needed if 2017 is to offer any different prospect than the death and destruction of the past five years. Thank you