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The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. In February and March this year, 276,000 people in the most severe need have been effectively cut off from assistance as the Government has closed down Syrian Arab Red Crescent cross-line operations. We have similar restrictions in Rif Damascus, Aleppo, Dara’a and elsewhere. These have all been the target of UN-led cross-line missions, but due to access restrictions the scale of aid delivered falls far short of the needs. In the case of Aleppo it is important to highlight that contrary to some widely held perceptions, aid-flows across the Turkish border have significantly reduced in the past two months. The main crossing point at Kilis, through which 50 per cent of aid reportedly flows, has recorded a reduction to approximately 20 trucks per day, down from between 50 and 80 two months ago. The Assistance Coordination Unit (ACU), the humanitarian arm of the Syrian Coalition, has limited capacity and reach. So we are not reaching those most urgently in need of our help: 2.5 million people in Aleppo and north of the city. Strengthening of the ACU should not come at the expense of the SARC. The data available to us shows that the people in opposition-held areas are in the most urgent need. We have a duty and a responsibility to try to reach them. I was horrified to hear accounts, during my recent visit to Turkey, of children dying from hunger in these areas. We need to get aid into these hard-to-reach areas. And it is difficult to do cross-line because of bureaucratic constraints. The Council needs to consider alternative forms of aid delivery, including cross-border operations because too many lives are being lost. When I say to the Council that the journey from Damascus to Aleppo is 310 kilometres - with those 50 checkpoints - and remember what I said about the need now to sign off each truck by two ministers: from Kilis to Aleppo the journey is just 56 kilometres. Across the country, humanitarian convoys are regularly attacked or shot at; staff are intimidated or kidnapped. For example, on 21 March, a WHO convoy carrying medical assistance for 80,000 people was hijacked by an armed group on its way from Tartous to Aleppo, and all of the supplies were stolen. And yet, in spite of the threats, humanitarian workers continue their critical work. I want to pay particular tribute to the work of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) volunteers. They have shown incredible dedication, impartiality and courage since the beginning of the conflict. Many of them do not hesitate to risk their lives every day to bring assistance to people in need, whether they live in Government or opposition-controlled areas. 18 have been killed doing their humanitarian work. Given its network across the country and its capacity to negotiate access to almost all areas affected, SARC is an invaluable partner for the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations in Syria. They proved it again during the mission to Aleppo last weekend when their volunteers were welcomed on both sides of the line. We all need to support SARC. Syria needs them. Mr. President, There has been a qualitative and quantitative step change in UN Agency presence and response in Syria including the establishment of a hub in Homs. The deployment of a senior RC/HC to oversee the response has finally been agreed with the Government and deployment is expected in the coming weeks. In March, WFP food assistance reached close to 2 million people across the country; many of them in areas under opposition control. UNICEF and partners have reached more than 5 million people with safe water and aim to reach an additional 5 million in the coming months through chlorination and repair of urban and rural water supply systems