Why the UN’s aid delivery to northwest Syria must not stop at one border crossing

Amnesty International has called on the United Nations (UN) to continue delivering cross-border aid to Syria through all available border crossings, Bab al-Salam and Al-Rai, after the Syrian government’s authorisation expires on May 13th. According to Amnesty International’s legal analysis, the delivery of impartial humanitarian aid without UN Security Council authorization or the Syrian government’s consent is legal under international law, preventing the suffering of the civilian population and grave human rights violations in northwest Syria. The UN has been providing aid to north-west Syria through the Bab al-Hawa crossing bordering Turkey since July 2020, which is set to expire in July 2023, dependent on Security Council renewal.

The Syrian government has long been arbitrating aid access in opposition-controlled areas and using the starvation of civilians as a weapon of war by depriving them of food, medicine, and other necessities. The lives of more than four million people in north-west Syria are at stake, and international law is clear that their rights must be paramount.

Sherine Tadros, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director of Advocacy and Representative to the UN, stated, “the UN should take a clear stand against the cruel political machinations that have hampered its humanitarian operations in northern Syria for several years.” During the first few critical days after the earthquakes, the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians and support to search and rescue teams was delayed due to arbitrary restrictions on aid by the Syrian government and hesitancy on the part of the UN to use border crossings not authorized by the Security Council.

The UNOCHA argued in 2016 that in exceptional situations, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a state may be temporarily impaired if it has arbitrarily rejected life-saving assistance for civilians in urgent need, giving the UN the right to deliver aid without authorization on the grounds of urgent necessity. The UN General Assembly (UNGA) must affirm the necessity of providing humanitarian aid across the border of Syria and reiterate its condemnation of Syria’s arbitrary refusal of impartial cross-border aid.

Stopping cross-border aid flow at such a critical time would amount to abandoning people in despair and depriving them of their basic human rights. It is necessary to continue delivering cross-border aid to Syria through all available border crossings, regardless of whether or not the Syrian government gives consent. The UN must prioritize the rights of the four million people affected by the earthquake in Syria, and the international community must support the UN in achieving this goal.

In conclusion, the international community must work together to ensure the rights of those affected by the earthquake in Syria. The UN’s ability to deliver impartial humanitarian aid to those in urgent need must be protected, regardless of political considerations. The UN should be granted authorization to provide aid, and the Syrian government should end measures to restrict access to aid, food, and medicine. The lives of millions in Syria depend on the continuation of cross-border aid delivery.

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