Syria
Expected Council Action
In May, the Security Council is expected to hold a meeting on political and humanitarian developments in Syria. UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen and a representative from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are expected to brief.
Key Recent Developments
The Security Council held two meetings on Syria in April. On 10 April, the Council held an emergency briefing following a 7 April letter from the Permanent Mission of Syria to the Council (S/2025/216), which described Israeli attacks on Syrian territory as a “serious threat” to international peace and security and a violation of international law and the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria. (For more information, see our 9 April What’s in Blue story.)
On 25 April, the Council held its monthly political and humanitarian briefing on Syria. Syrian interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani participated in the meeting. Addressing the Council, Shaibani highlighted advances made by the caretaker authorities in recent months, including the establishment of the new transitional government. He also said that the interim government will soon be announcing a transitional justice body, a commission for missing Syrians, and steps to form a representative national parliament.
During the meeting, Special Envoy Pedersen briefed on the challenges currently facing Syria, including the need for more political inclusion and more economic action, which are essential for the political transition in Syria to succeed. He stressed the need for “substantive efforts towards inclusivity, transparency and openness” in the process of establishing the interim parliament to ensure that it represents Syria’s unity and diversity.
On the economic front, Pedersen noted that the situation is “disastrous” and that without economic recovery and stability, the country’s political stability and transition will suffer. Both Pedersen and Shaibani also made strong appeals for the urgent easing of sanctions impeding the country’s recovery following 14 years of war. On 24 April, Syria’s central bank governor and finance minister attended meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to discuss the country’s reconstruction, in which IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said that they intend to help Syria rebuild its institutions and reintegrate into the world economy. This followed announcements made by Saudi Arabia and Qatar that they will repay Syria’s outstanding debt to the World Bank.
Syria also continues to reel from the repercussions of March’s sectarian violence in the country’s coastal northwestern region (For more information, see the Syria brief in our April Monthly Forecast and our 14 March What’s In Blue story). On 11 April, Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa extended the deadline given to the independent fact-finding committee established to investigate and report on the coastal violence by three months. Reports of ongoing attacks against Alawites in the area have also continued to emerge.
Following the 10 March agreement between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), there have been further encouraging steps signalling de-escalation and reintegration for Syria’s SDF-controlled northeastern region. Among these were the 4 April withdrawal of SDF fighters from Kurdish neighbourhoods in Aleppo; and the SDF ceding control of the Tishreen Dam—a key irrigation and hydroelectric power source—to the government’s forces on 12 April.
Against this backdrop, in mid-March, the UN Secretariat apparently circulated a non-paper to Council members noting that the Secretary-General has directed the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) to lead an integrated strategic assessment of the changing situation in the country, which will culminate in a report due by the end of May. On 14 April, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo visited Damascus to hold meetings with interim government officials on Syria’s political transition.
In a 21 April statement, the UN’s Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis David Carden announced that his position would be abolished on 22 April. His role involved coordinating the delivery of cross-border humanitarian assistance into northwest Syria and has been phased out following the decision to create a unified coordination structure under the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Damascus. Carden said that so far this year, the UN has dispatched 936 aid trucks through the cross-border modality, which is more than all of 2024.
In her 25 April briefing to the Council, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya stressed that Syria remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with three-quarters of the population in need, more than half facing food insecurity, and over seven million persons displaced. In addition to highlighting the need to continue de-escalating conflict and ensure protection of civilians, Msuya warned that the ongoing provision of critical assistance by the UN is being severely strained due to funding cuts.
Human Rights-Related Developments
On 14 March, the UN Syria Commission of Inquiry (COI) submitted a report to the Human Rights Council on developments relating to respect for human rights and international humanitarian law since the fall of the Assad regime. Noting Syria’s key challenges, the report examines the measures required to address the justice-based needs of the Syrian people and re-establish the country’s stability amid ongoing tensions.
On 26 March, the COI concluded its mission to Damascus after the retaliatory attacks in the coastal regions. A subsequent press release commended the authorities for their determination to restore Syria’s social harmony and ensure human rights and accountability for its people despite the challenges ahead, while also noting the importance of the international community in bringing forth tangible actions to assist in Syria’s transition.
In a 7 April press release, UN experts underscored the importance of ending ISIL-related arbitrary detention in northeast Syria. Around 42,500 individuals are held in camps without legal process, including family members and associates of ISIL suspects, as well as IDPs and human trafficking victims. The experts underscored that the political transition is also an opportunity to bring to justice those suspected of involvement in genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and called on the caretaker authorities to plan for the safe, dignified and voluntary reintegration of Syrian detainees back into their communities, among other recommendations.
Women, Peace and Security
On 27 February, the Informal Experts Group (IEG) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) met on the situation in Syria. Deputy Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria Najat Rochdi briefed. According to the 31 March summary of the meeting, in their engagement with the UN, Syrian women “have expressed their expectation that the transitional process, including the constitution-making process, will guarantee women’s and girls’ rights”, including their meaningful participation in public and political life, and access to public services. The summary notes that the situation in Syria has been covered in the annual report of the Secretary-General on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) since 2012 and warns that, unless transitional justice mechanisms integrate measures on CRSV focused on justice, truth and non-repetition, “these crimes may disappear from the historical record”.
UN Women, as the IEG Secretariat, recommended that, in any upcoming decision on Syria, the Security Council urge the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of diverse Syrian women in a Syrian-owned and Syrian-led political transition, with a minimum participation threshold of 30 percent. Among other recommendations, UN Women advised the Council to call on the caretaker authorities to “urgently secure and preserve information and evidence of atrocities”. UN Women further recommended that the Council demand unhindered humanitarian access across Syria and that humanitarian personnel are able to operate safely and without any form of gender-based discrimination.
Key Issues and Options
A priority for the Council is to encourage and support Syria’s interim government as it works to introduce a credible, transparent, and inclusive political process—grounded in the principles of resolution 2254. An issue for the Council is ensuring that the interim government’s actions align with its priorities of meeting the aspirations of all the Syrian people, ensuring the protection of all Syrians, regardless of their religion or ethnicity, and advancing representative governance. Council members are also likely to pay particular attention to how the interim government handles the issue of sectarian violence against Alawite minorities and transitional justice.
The future of the UN’s role in Syria is another key issue for the Council. Council members are likely to use the findings of the UN’s integrated strategic assessment as a basis for discussing how to best utilise the UN’s expertise to support Syria’s transition. Depending on those findings, this could include considering a Council product which updates resolution 2254 to reflect the new context and could also include adjusting the UN’s presence in the country. During these discussions, members will have to consider what the country needs most, what the Syrian interim government would allow, and what is practically possible given the UN’s beleaguered financial situation.
The security situation in Syria is also a significant problem for the Council. Israel’s encroachment into the country and its airstrikes on Syrian territory, the threat of ISIL/Da’esh resurgence, and the presence of foreign terrorist fighters are all issues that contribute to the overall security situation and feature prominently in the Council’s discussions on Syria.
Council members could also consider holding a high-level public briefing on the interrelation between the dire economic situation, the detrimental effects of sanctions, and the humanitarian crisis in Syria, featuring briefings from the Secretary-General and a representative of the IMF. Following the meeting, members could hold a press stakeout calling for increased support for economic recovery and the further easing of sanctions on Syria.
Council and Wider Dynamics
Council members are aligned on the need for the Syrian authorities to advance an inclusive, Syrian-owned and Syrian-led political process that is based on the key principles of resolution 2254. They also agree that the Syrian interim government must credibly pursue transitional justice and reconciliation efforts and take measures to prevent any further violence against minorities as part of this process, in line with the Council’s 14 March presidential statement. Members are closely monitoring steps taken in this regard.
Several members have expressed cautious optimism at actions taken so far by the interim authorities, with many emphasising that the current period represents a critical and hopeful moment for the country. There is broad agreement that the new Syrian government requires international support to rebuild Syria and its crippled economy, including through the easing of sanctions. Several members have announced steps taken in this regard. On 10 April, the Republic of Korea established diplomatic relations with Syria, paving the way for bilateral economic cooperation and trade. On 24 April, the UK further eased its sanctions on the country, including restrictions on the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Interior, national media institutions and on key sectors such as financial services and energy.
On the other hand, the US continues to use its sanctions to pressure the interim authorities. During the 25 April Council meeting, the US reiterated that it will “hold Syrian interim authorities accountable for the following steps to fully renounce and suppress terrorism, adopt a policy of non-aggression to neighbouring states, exclude foreign terrorist fighters from any official roles, prevent Iran and its proxies from exploiting Syrian territory, destroy weapons of mass destruction, assist in the recovery of US citizens disappeared in Syria, and ensure the security and freedoms of all Syrians.”
Israel’s presence and military activities in Syria remain a point of contention for Council members. Many members believe Israel’s actions are fostering tensions and instability in an already fragile Syria, but the US sees its actions as defensive in nature and tied to ensuring its national security, in line with Israel’s position.
| Security Council Resolutions | |
| 18 December 2015S/RES/2254 | This was the first resolution focused exclusively on a political solution to the Syrian crisis. It was adopted unanimously. |
| Security Council Presidential Statements | |
| 14 March 2025S/PRST/2025/4 | This was a presidential statement condemning sectarian violence perpetrated in Latakia and Tartous and calling for accountability and the protection of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religion. |
| Security Council Meeting Records | |
| 25 April 2025S/PV.9904 | This was a Security Council meeting on Syria. |
| 10 April 2025S/PV.9896 | This was a Security Council meeting on Syria. |
