The UN Secretary-General has welcomed the decision on Monday by the Syrian president to open two further crossing points on the Turkish border to allow more aid into the stricken northwest of the country.
“I welcome the decision today by President Bashar al-Assad of Syria to open the two crossing points of Bab Al-Salam and Al Ra’ee from Türkiye to northwest Syria for an initial period of three months to allow for the timely delivery of humanitarian aid”, António Guterres said in a statement.
Guterres announced a $397 million humanitarian appeal to aid the people of earthquake-struck Syria, to help secure “desperately needed” relief for nearly five million people.
He told reporters outside the Security Council in New York that aid “must get through from all sides” and the funding would cover an initial period of three months, UN website reported.
“The Syria effort brings together the entire UN system and humanitarian partners and will help secure desperately needed, life-saving relief for nearly 5 million Syrians – including shelter, healthcare, food and protection.”
“We all know that lifesaving aid has not been getting in at the speed and scale needed”, the UN chief said, with millions of people “struggling for survival, homeless and in freezing temperatures.”
He called on all Member States, and others in the donor community, “to fully fund this effort without delay and help the millions of children, women and men whose lives have been upended by this generational disaster.
“This is a moment for unity, for common humanity and concerted action,” according to Guterres.
President al-Assad to ICRC President: Syrian government is keen on delivering aid to all areas across Syria
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad received on Tuesday Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
During the meeting, Egger affirmed that the ICRC is seeking to provide the Syrian people with basic needs and to provide everything necessary to help them overcome the difficult situation they going through in the aftermath of the earthquake.
ICRC president indicated that the Organization is working to mobilize efforts to expand the scope of its humanitarian operations all over the Syrian territory, and it appreciates the cooperation made by the Syrian government and SARC in this regard.
President al-Assad renewed the Syrian government’s keenness on delivering aid to all areas across Syria to provide relief to the affected.
President al-Assad underlined that it is important when dealing with the humanitarian situation in Syria to consider the infrastructure and other sectors such as health and communications because they are integrated with each other and directly affect the humanitarian and living conditions of the Syrians.
The Syrian health minister Hasan Al-Ghabash announced the rise of the numbers of the quake-related deaths and injuries to 1414 and 2357 respectively.
Meanwhile, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated that the number of victims claimed by Monday’s deadly quake has reached 35418.
Source: Agencies
