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Updated August 30th, 2022 at 08:23 IST

India at UNSC raises concerns over Syria; calls for effective aid without politicisation

India is still calling for efficient humanitarian aid, Kamboj said, adding, “Humanitarian assistance cannot be a matter of political expediency.”

Reported by: Anwesha Majumdar
India
Image: AP/ Ruchira Kamboj Fan_Facebook | Image:self
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As Syria continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj stated that New Delhi continues to call for more and efficient humanitarian relief for Syrians across the nation without restrictions, politicisation, and discrimination. On Monday, at a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) briefing on the situation in the Middle East (Syria), Kamboj expressed dissatisfaction that the Small Body of the Constitutional Committee failed to convene this month.  

India’s Permanent Representative said, “It is disappointing that the Small Body of the Constitutional Committee has not met this month,” further adding that external reasons have proven damaging to the whole political process. She said, “The engagement so far has not been able to bridge the trust deficit amongst the key stakeholders. The cancellation of the ninth Constitutional Committee meeting in July 2022 has further reinforced this view.” 

Highlighting that India is still calling for increased and efficient humanitarian aid, Kamboj said, “Humanitarian assistance cannot be a matter of political expediency.” She added that linking development and humanitarian help to political developments would only make the humanitarian crisis worse. 

Additionally, according to Ruchira Kamboj, the UN Special Envoy has been working to engage all parties and promote the political process in accordance with resolution 2254 of the UNSC. Besides this, India has always urged assistance for regional initiatives to end the conflict on a long-term basis, she averred. The Permanent Representative emphasised that they have welcomed the gradual normalisation of Syria's ties with its Arab neighbours. 

UN-designated terrorist organisations continue to gain power in Syria: Kamboj

Furthermore, during the UNSC briefing on Syria, Kamboj cited the 60-day report on the country by US Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and noted that violence has persisted in the northwest region of the nation, the de-escalation zone of Idlib. She said also raised concerns about Syria's "overall situation".

According to her, “As pointed out in the Secretary General’s 60-day report, violence continued in the Idlib de-escalation area in the northwest of Syria".

Kamboj continued by saying that India has repeatedly issued warnings about the impending threat presented by the emergence of terrorist organisations in Syria. She claimed that UN-designated terrorist organisations like ISIL and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham continue to gain power in Syria as well as in Iraq. 

It is worth noting that India encouraged the international community to support initiatives that will provide the Syrian people with much-needed jobs and financial opportunities. 

Meanwhile, in the month of July, India welcomed the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)'s decision to extend permission for assistance to Damascus via the Bab Al Hawa border. On July 12,  India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador R Ravindra, referred to the adoption as 'historic' because it will ensure assistance for over 4 million citizens, many of whom are women and children and have been dealing with severe crisis for more than a decade.  

(Image: AP/ Ruchira Kamboj Fan_Facebook)

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Published August 30th, 2022 at 08:23 IST

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