ICRC urges immediate action for critical situation faced by Syrians
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) urged on Wednesday immediate action to address the critical situation faced by the people in Syria warning that the cost of inaction would be unbearable, first and foremost for the populations.
The warning came in tandem with the holding of the Seventh Brussels Conference on ‘Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region’ by the European Union (EU) on Wednesday.
“Nearly 90% of Syrians live below the poverty line with more than 15 million needing humanitarian assistance, a trend that has been sustained over the past years,” the ICRC said in a press release.
“The risk of collapse of Syria’s critical infrastructure is a pressing concern,” it added. “Most treatment plants are damaged, and are operating at a reduced capacity, which has led to worryingly low levels of access to potable water.”
“The international community must confront the harsh reality that the current situation in Syria is untenable, and failure to act will have dire consequences for all those involved and hinder any prospects for sustainable recovery,” said Fabrizio Carboni, the ICRC’s regional director for the Near and Middle East.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering of the people in Syria. We must prioritize the preservation of critical infrastructure and provide comprehensive humanitarian responses,” he added.
The ICRC appealed to donor states for an immediate international commitment to safeguard critical infrastructure and essential services, and to ensure that a comprehensive humanitarian response can be sustained while more durable solutions can be found.
“The collapse of these essential services is not a distant threat but very much possible, with devastating consequences for the Syrian people, if more isn’t done to help prevent it” Carboni noted.