Statement by H.E. Ambassador YAMAZAKI Kazuyuki, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the United Nations Security Council Briefing on Syria’s Political & Humanitarian Situation

Thank you, Madam President.
 
I thank Special Envoy Pedersen and OCHA Director Wosornu for their informative briefings. I also thank Ms. Abir Haj Ibrahim and Ms. Su'ad Jarbawi on their briefings.
 
The rapid escalation of hostilities in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah over the past month has taken a toll on Syria. More than 425,000 people -both Syrian and Lebanese- have fled across the border. This has created enormous humanitarian needs and caused the already precarious security situation to deteriorate even further.
 
The international community must act to halt the expansion of the crises destabilizing the Middle East. In order to prevent further escalation of the conflict in Lebanon, Japan strongly urges the parties to exercise maximum restraint and to make sincere efforts toward a diplomatic settlement.
 
Madam President,
 
Regarding the political track in Syria, Japan reaffirms its support to Special Envoy Pedersen and his engagement with all stakeholders. We also note his meeting in late September with Syria’s new Foreign Minister Bassam al-Sabbagh.
 
The international community needs to continue backing the Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process established in Security Council resolution 2254 and the extensive facilitation efforts led by the Special Envoy.
 
It is regrettable that the Constitutional Committee has not convened for more than two years. Japan expresses its strong hope that it will do so at the earliest.
 
Madam President,
 
Even before the arrival of people fleeing Lebanon, Syria was facing one of the biggest humanitarian crises in the world.
 
Life for Syrians has seen no significant improvement for years. More than 70% of them are in need, lacking critical infrastructure and suffering from high inflation and a severe economic downturn.
 
Japan emphasizes the necessity of effectively implementing all available modalities to deliver the aid. We value the continued efforts to enhance cross-line deliveries. At the same time, smooth cross-border support is crucial to accommodate the needs of the population in northwest Syria.
 
We stress the importance of supporting the efforts of relevant UN agencies under the coordination of OCHA. It is worrisome that the Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria is still significantly underfunded, with a greater funding shortfall than at this time last year.
 
Since 2012, Japan has provided emergency and humanitarian aid through UN agencies and others which amount to 35 billion US dollars. We encourage donors to provide whatever assistance they can to address the urgent needs of the population. Additionally, it is essential to invest in early recovery and resilience to help establish a strong foundation for a stable and safer Syria.
 
Madam President,
 
Japan is committed, both through humanitarian aid and political engagement, to support the people of Syria and their aspirations for a better future.
 
I thank you.