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UN Struggles to Meet Humanitarian Needs in Northern Syria

Margaret Besheer

   NEW YORK - The United Nations said Thursday that it is struggling to
   meet massive and growing humanitarian needs in northern Syria after
   losing access to a vital border crossing last month, at a time when the
   country's economy is collapsing and COVID-19 is spreading.
   "These challenges were foreseen, and have resulted in a more costly,
   higher risk, less timely and, ultimately, less effective humanitarian
   response," Acting Deputy U.N. Humanitarian Chief Ramesh Rajasingham
   told a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on the impact of the
   closure of the Bab al-Salaam crossing at the Syrian-Turkish border.
   The U.N., which has appealed for more access, is trying to work with
   the remaining crossing--Bab al-Hawa in Idlib--and with the parties on
   the ground to ensure deliveries can be made unimpeded.
   "The capacity of the remaining authorized crossing at Bab al-Hawa needs
   to be expanded; as does the capacity of crossing points inside Syria,"
   Rajasingham said. "Significant road works will need to be completed
   before the onset of winter weather."
   After protracted negotiations and multiple rounds of council votes and
   vetoes, a majority of council members on July 11 bent to Russia's will
   and closed the crossing north of Aleppo. That has complicated the
   process of getting aid to 1.3 million people in the northwest who live
   outside the territory controlled by the government of Syrian President
   Bashar Al-Assad.

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