13 March 2025
The announcement comes as Syria
marks 14 years since peaceful protests were met with brutal
repression, igniting a conflict that has displaced millions
and left the country in ruins.
While the fall of
Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024 initially raised
hopes for stability, fresh violence is threatening these
fragile gains.
UN
Secretary-General António Guterres condemned recent
reports of civilian casualties, stating that
“nothing can justify the killing of
civilians.”
A Syrian-led
transition
Mr. Pedersen reiterated that the political
process remains “Syrian-led and
Syrian-owned”, though the UN continues to offer
guidance.
During a briefing to the press in New York,
UN
Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric underscored that the UN
stands ready to support an inclusive political transition
which guarantees accountability and national
healing.
Meanwhile, Mr. Guterres emphasised that
“the caretaker authorities have repeatedly committed to
building a new Syria based on inclusive and credible
foundations for all Syrians. Now is the time for
action.”
Reconstruction challenges
Despite
political progress, the humanitarian crisis remains
dire.
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“The scale of destruction is unimaginable,”
UN
High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi wrote in
an op-ed in the French newspaper Le
Monde.
Emphasising that nothing was spared, from
houses to water treatment facilities, Mr. Grandi underscored
that “if we neglect Syria’s urgent humanitarian
needs, its social and political fractures will only
deepen.”
A recent
UNHCR survey found that 27 per cent of Syrian
refugees now express a desire to return home within the next
year, compared to just two per cent before the
regime’s fall.
However, concerns about safety,
political stability and the lack of basic necessities remain
major obstacles to sustainable
repatriation.
Accountability: The path
forward
While the Constitutional Declaration provides
a framework for transition, Mr. Pedersen said its success
depends on genuine implementation.
For now, the UN
remains engaged and ready to assist, but officials warn that
the next few months will be critical in determining whether
Syria moves towards lasting peace or falls deeper into
uncertainty.
“We must ensure that Syria emerges from
the shadows of war into a future defined by dignity and the
rule of law, where all voices are heard and no
community is left behind,” the UN chief
said.
