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Thank you, Madam President.
Let me also thank Deputy Special Envoy Cordone and acting ASG Ratwatte for their briefings.
Madam President,
Although much has been achieved since the fall of the Assad regime, the situation in Syria continues to warrant the attention of the Council in order to support societal transitions from war to peace.
Madam President, I will make three points.
First, on recent developments in North East Syria.
We take note of the conclusion of the elections in the region. An important step towards the initiation of the work of the people’s assembly.
Out of the 11 seats, four Kurdish representatives, including one woman, were elected, but more needs to be done to secure adequate representation. It is essential that women, minorities, and members of all religious and ethnic communities are fully included in political life and that parliament reflects the rich diversity of Syrian society.
We encourage continued efforts to ensure representation and reiterate our hope that the final outstanding appointments by President Al-Sharaa, will help achieve this goal.
Denmark welcomes the progress made in relation to the military and political integration of the Kurds. A number of issues remain outstanding, such as the inclusion of female protection units.
We encourage Syria to continue to prioritize the meaningful integration as part of an inclusive political transition and to ensure the respect of the rights of all segments of Syrian society, including the Kurdish people, to help build a future of peaceful coexistence
Second, Madam President, on the humanitarian situation.
With more than 5.5 million people still living as internally displaced in Syria, and over 1.7 million having returned since the fall of the regime, the humanitarian situation is under tremendous pressure.
As the third biggest donor to the country based pooled fund, Denmark appreciates the fast-track reserve allocation of USD 145.9 million to emergency activities for 3.4 million people. The need for this serves as a timely reminder that the humanitarian situation in Syria remains fragile. Denmark calls for additional donor contributions to the humanitarian response plan that continues to be severely underfunded.
Denmark is also supportive of the Syrian Government’s “No tents, no camps” approach, and welcomes a roadmap on how to best support and achieve this vision.
Refugees and internally displaced continuously seek to return to their areas of origin to build a new future for their families and their country. To support these hopes, protection efforts must be sustained, and early recovery interventions must be prioritized.
It is crucial to re-establish critical infrastructure, rebuild the health care sector and secure consistent water supplies for the entire population. Denmark is proud to support ICRC’s “too big to fail”-project with over 9 million USD, providing drinking water to over 12 million people.
Third, Madam President, on the respect for Syria’s territorial integrity.
The continued Israeli presence in southern Syria risks undermining and destabilizing the authority of the Syrian government.
We are similarly concerned about reports about Israeli actions in Suweida, Quneitra and Daraa, notably detention of civilians, destruction of agricultural land, and armed confrontations placing communities at risk.
All parties must respect Syria’s sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity, ensure the safety and livelihoods of its civilians and refrain from any attack on Syrian territory. Israel must withdraw from Syrian territory and comply with its obligations under the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.
Madam President, In closing,
Denmark remains firmly committed to supporting a Syrian-led and Syrian owned transition. Words of support from this Council must be matched by concrete action and sustained engagement.
We reiterate our call for the prompt establishment of the Special Envoy’s permanent office in Damascus. A strong and present United Nations is indispensable to supporting Syria through this critical moment.
I thank you.
