UN says 'window of opportunity' in Syria may not last, urges decisive action for transition
'The people of Syria continue to navigate a dizzying mixture of challenges and opportunities as they pursue a better future,' says Joyce Msuya
An aerial view of the tomb of John the Baptist, one of the most sacred areas of the Umayyad mosque located between the Sahaba Mihrab and the Dome of the Eagle (Qubbat al-Nasr) in Damascus, Syria on April 10, 2025.
HAMILTON, Canada
Senior UN officials on Tuesday urged the international community to act swiftly to support Syria's fragile transition, warning that the momentum toward recovery and stability may be lost without immediate and concrete action.
"We have a window of opportunity right now that may not last," UN Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya told the Security Council, adding that the international community needs "to act decisively to help this transition deliver the better future the people of Syria desperately want."
"The people of Syria continue to navigate a dizzying mixture of challenges and opportunities as they pursue a better future," she added.
Msuya highlighted four key points, starting with the humanitarian crisis, and called it "one of the largest in the world."
She warned of continuing violence on the coast, in the south and the northeast, and noted that unexploded ordnance has killed at least 414 people and injured nearly 600 since December.
Msuya noted that the UN and its partners are making the most of limited resources and have shifted to a more efficient coordination model, but emphasized that "we need more funding to keep this work going, if not to expand it."
She said only 14% of the appeal for this year has been funded.
Pointing to new opportunities for Syria's reconstruction and development, she highlighted recent moves to ease sanctions and a "growing engagement by international financial institutions."
However, she stressed that "these opportunities need to be matched with concrete initiatives to rebuild Syria."
Najat Rochdi, the UN's deputy special envoy for Syria, echoed the concerns and said: "Syria simply cannot withstand another wave of instability."
She welcomed a recent six-month waiver related to the Caesar sanctions and a new US general license but said much more is needed to enable private-sector investment.
"We will continue to support the interim authorities and the Syrian people towards a new and better chapter in Syria’s history," she added, urging an inclusive transition aligned with Security Council Resolution 2254, which called for a political settlement and ceasefire.
Both officials urged the Security Council to support efforts that will ensure peace, reconstruction, and recovery for the war-torn country.
