The UN chief on Tuesday launched a $397 million appeal to help nearly 5 million survivors of last week’s devastating earthquake in rebel-controlled northwestern Syria, who have received very little assistance as deep divisions have exacerbated from the country’s 12 years of war.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the call a day after welcoming an agreement between the United Nations and Syrian President Bashar Assad to open two new crossings from Turkey for an initial period of three months. The United Nations has only been allowed to deliver aid to northwestern Idlib through a single crossing at Bab Al-Hawa, at the insistence of Syrian ally Russia.
Guterres said the devastation from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that devastated southern Turkey and northwestern Syria on February 6 “is one of the worst in recent memory” and “we all know life-saving aid has not come as fast as and within the scope necessary.”
TURKEY-SYRIA EARTHQUAKE DEATH TOTAL PROBABLY EXCEEDS 56,000, UN EMERGENCY AID HEAD SAYS
He said the $397 million would provide “desperately needed life-saving aid for nearly 5 million Syrians – including shelter, healthcare, food and protection” for three months.
Guterres said the United Nations was in the final stages of preparing an emergency appeal for earthquake-ravaged southern Turkey.
He urged the international community to provide emergency funding without delay, saying, “Human suffering from this epic natural disaster should not be exacerbated by man-made obstacles: access, funding, supplies.”
The secretary general said aid to Syria must go through all routes to all areas without restrictions.
A senior official from the United Nations World Food Program warned that food insecurity in affected parts of Syria had increased dramatically even before the earthquake struck.
The United Nations has requested $397 million in aid for survivors of the catastrophic earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria last week. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
“Before it was very bad. Now it’s dramatic,” said Corinne Fleischer, director of the agency for the Middle East.
“Half of the population faces hunger. And this is the worst we have seen since the beginning of the crisis in Syria. Even at the height of the war, we didn’t have 12 million food insecure people,” he said in an interview with the Associated Press.
Guterres announced that a convoy of 11 trucks was on its way to cross one of the newly opened crossings at Bab Al-Salam, “with many more on the way”. He said the second new crossing at Al Raée is also open, “and the goods are flowing.”
The announcement of the two additional steps from Turkey came as the United Nations Security Council met on Monday afternoon on the difficulties of obtaining aid in northwestern Syria.
The United Nations has also tried to send a convoy northwest across conflict lines inside Syria, but it has not gotten the green light from all sides. The convoy was allegedly blocked by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an al-Qaida-linked rebel group that controls part of the northwest.
France’s ambassador to the United Nations, Nicolas De Riviere, told reporters ahead of Monday’s council meeting that there were two options: either the Syrian government would grant additional access to the northwest or the council would seek to adopt a resolution authorizing further crossings into the region.
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: A WEEK OF HORRORS AND HEROISES UP CLOSE IN THE TURKISH EARTHQUAKE ZONE
After the meeting and the announcement of the two new crossings, De Riviere said there should be “no obstacles” to the delivery of aid through the three crossings. If there are, he said, the Security Council should look into adopting a resolution under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which means it can be applied militarily, to authorize crossings and get aid to millions in need. .
Secretary-General Guterres, asked about a possible meeting with President Assad, said what was needed now were not high-level visits that divert resources, but intensified relief efforts.
“I’m following it very, very closely,” he said, “and whenever it would be helpful and positive, I’m ready to do whatever is necessary.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
As for the need for a Security Council resolution, he reiterated that the two new crossings are open, “and we will see, of course, if the situation changes, we will adopt the necessary measures”.
