Thank you, Madam President.
I would also like to begin by thanking the Under-Secretary-General and Director of OCHA, Tom Fletcher, and UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, not only for their presentations but also for their invaluable work over the last few days, including in Syria.
I would also like to thank Mr Bader Jamous, Chairman of the Syrian Negotiating Committee, for his statement, and thank Ms Waad al-Kateeb, co-founder of the Action for Sama Foundation, for sharing her story with us.
In the space of just a few weeks, a new chapter has opened in Syria.
The Syrians face a colossal and formidable task: they must ensure that justice is done for the darkest pages of the previous chapter. And I would like to join the Special Envoy's condolences to all the Syrian families for all the suffering they have endured. Now is the time to write a new page of history.
Switzerland will continue to support the Syrian people’s quest for freedom and justice, dialogue and reconciliation, the enhancement of their plural identity and the rebuilding of their nation on the foundations of the rule of law.
During our two-year term on the Security Council, Switzerland has reiterated that only an inclusive political solution, led by and for the Syrians, facilitated by the UN and its Special Envoy and based on international law, can put an end to the conflict.
The emerging authorities in Syria now have a historic opportunity to clearly distinguish themselves from their predecessors by supporting an inclusive and sustainable political transition, in line with the main elements of Resolution 2254.
These elements include: a national ceasefire, which must also be observed by all parties to the conflict, starting with Syria's neighbours; respect for the United Nations Charter, international humanitarian law and human rights, including the protection of minorities, as well as Syria's sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity; inclusive governance, with the active participation especially of women and civil society, whose essential role Switzerland has constantly promoted; rejection of all forms of terrorism; consideration of the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people, in all their diversity, and the holding of free, inclusive, transparent and fair elections.
Switzerland is also deeply concerned by the latest developments in the occupied Syrian Golan. It calls for any violation of the 1974 agreement on the disengagement of forces to cease immediately and reiterates its support for the UNDOF. Switzerland recalls that the Golan Heights constitute occupied territory. It condemns the Israeli government's announcements that it intends to double the number of settlements there, which are illegal under international humanitarian law.
Madam President,
Switzerland will continue to make Geneva available for all peace talks and initiatives under the aegis of the UN and its Special Envoy.
But Geneva is also home to two key institutions for the transition.
The recent release of many detainees in Syria has confirmed the scale of the atrocities committed in the Syrian government's infamous prisons, but it has also brought a glimmer of hope to families still waiting for news of their loved ones. The right to know of these relatives is a rule firmly anchored in the Geneva Conventions. The Independent Institution for Missing Persons, whose mandate is strictly humanitarian, is well placed to shed light on the fate of tens of thousands of missing persons throughout the country, in cooperation with associations of victims' families and other humanitarian actors.
Finally, Switzerland reiterates that there can be no lasting peace without justice according to the principles of the rule of law. Evidence, as established in particular by archives, and the accounts of victims and witnesses, which can support the judicial authorities in rendering accounts, must be preserved. Switzerland stresses the central role of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) in this respect.
Madam President,
Over the past two years, Switzerland has played the role of spokesperson on humanitarian issues in Syria.
During its mandate, and in particular after the terrible earthquakes of February 2023, it has been committed to ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches all those in need safely, quickly and without hindrance, using every possible means of delivery and covering the whole of Syria.
We underlined the importance of humanitarian exemptions from sanctions to facilitate humanitarian activities, particularly in the areas of health, education and food security. We will continue to encourage reflection on this subject in the light of the changes at the head of the country.
The crises that have intertwined over the last thirteen years have claimed more than half a million lives, destroyed critical infrastructure, pushed more than 90% of the population below the poverty line and displaced more than 16 million people. Millions of refugees are now contemplating a return that can only be voluntary, safe and dignified, in accordance with international law for the protection of refugees and human rights in general.
Switzerland reiterates its solidarity with the Syrian people. With this in mind, we have just allocated a further CHF 2 million for emergency aid in Syria.
We welcome the visit to Syria by the Under-Secretary-General and Director of OCHA, Tom Fletcher. He reported on the commitments made by the emerging authorities to protect civilians, to continue essential services and to open all border crossings for humanitarian aid. These commitments must be put into practice and maintained over time.
Madam President,
While leaving the Council, Switzerland calls on all the members to pursue the path opened up on 8 December in the same spirit of cooperation and to fully support a political transition led by and for the Syrians.
The search for a political solution in Syria, in the terms adopted by this Council, has stalled for too long.
It is time for unequivocal support for peace and security in Syria and in the region as a whole.
Thank you.