Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Islamabad News advertisment. DW July 12, 2022 - The United Nations Security Council on Monday agreed to extend a key aid program from Turkey to rebel-held Syrian territories. The aid scheme was due to expire on Sunday and the two veto-wielding members of the Security Council, Russia and the United States, failed to agree on the details of the expansion.
But the council eventually agreed to Russia's proposal to extend the scheme for another six months, up from a one-year extension.
The aid scheme serves as a lifeline for about 2.5 million people living near the Syrian border.
According to UN figures, about 4,650 aid trucks arrived in Syria through the Bab al-Hawi border crossing in the first six months of this year.
Voting on the draft resolution in the Security Council
Russia, Syria's ally, on Friday vetoed a resolution proposing a one-year extension of aid. Western nations have since rejected Russia's opposition to a six-month extension of the aid mechanism.
Russia's deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyansky, reiterated that Moscow would continue to veto any text other than its own.
Now, however, the 15-member council is due to vote on a draft resolution on Tuesday.
The draft resolution, introduced by Ireland and Norway, is almost identical to the Russian text that failed to win council support last Friday. An earlier draft by Ireland and Norway in January 2023 proposed that the mechanism be suspended if the Security Council decides to do so.
But Ireland and Norway have introduced a new text that calls for it to be renewed for six months, until January next year, and then for a new resolution.
The resolution mandates a bi-monthly briefing on the implementation of the scheme and calls on the UN Secretary-General to submit his special report on humanitarian needs in the region by December 10.
At least nine votes are required to pass any resolution in the Security Council, but no one from Russia, China, the United States, France or the United Kingdom must use their veto power against the resolution. ۔
In 2914, the Security Council approved for the first time the delivery of humanitarian aid to two areas in Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Turkey.
Its purpose was to provide basic necessities to the people living in the last stronghold of the rebels in Syria.
The rebel-held area is also controlled by the hardline Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. However, this aid delivery mandate is not permanent and the council needs to renew it every year.
Moscow says the UN aid program violates Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. That is why it has called for more aid from within the country. However, the opposition fears that if that happens, food and other aid will fall under the control of Bashar al-Assad's government.
(AFP, AP, Reuters)
