UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (KUNA) -- The High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres on Thursday urged the donor countries which pledged aid at the International Donor Conference in Kuwait last January to follow Kuwait's example in meeting their pledges in support of the Syrian people inside and outside the country.
"All humanitarian actors involved need levels of financial support that are out of proportion with the established humanitarian aid budgets of traditional donors. I am extremely grateful to the generous recent contribution from the Government of Kuwait to multilateral aid Agencies and to follow its example," Guterres told the Security Council as it discussed the humanitarian situation in Syria.
The UN top humanitarian official Valerie Amos also told the Council she welcomes the "timely disbursement by H.H. the Amir of Kuwait," and asked those Member States who have not yet converted their conference pledges to cash to do so "urgently".
Kuwait this week handed checks totaling USD 300 million to the UN Agencies in New York and Geneva, in implementation of its pledge in Kuwait Conference.
Guterres and Amos were among other UN officials who briefed the Council, such as Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zainab Bangura, and Special Representative of the Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict Leila Zerrougui.
The Ambassadors of Syria, Lebanon and Turkey also took the floor.
The UN officials painted a dire picture of the humanitarian situation in Syria and made a strong appeal for more funds and for an end to the bloodshed.
Guterres told the Council the preliminary planning figures are "terrifying".
If nothing changes at the present rhythm, he warned, there may be up to 3.5 million refugees by the end of this year, and probably up to 6.5 million who will need humanitarian assistance inside Syria.
These figures, he argued, "are not just frightening. It risks becoming simply unsustainable. There is no way to respond to the enormous humanitarian needs these figures represent".
He said "my appeal to the international community is to extend the massive financial support Jordan needs, with the understanding that its economic adjustment requires sufficient flexibility to prevent level of social unrest that would entirely jeopardize the stability of the country".
As a citizen of the world, he added, "I cannot refrain from asking: Isn't here any way to stop this fighting, to open the door for a political solution? But while we are waiting for a miracle to happen, it is our duty to do everything we can to protect, assist and respect the dignity of all those Syrians who sought safety abroad".
"We cannot let the Syrian people down," he insisted, recalling that the Syrian people were always "extremely generous" in hosting refugees from Palestine and Iraq sharing their resources with them. "They now need our support".
Failure to give Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and others the support they need to continue to provide sanctuary to so many suffering Syrians, "we do not only mean to abandon a people and a whole region, it would be world's blindness to its own best interest".
Amos said that thanks to the Kuwaiti recent contributions, about half of the USD 1.5 billion required to cover Syria's humanitarian needs until June has been received.
"While the humanitarian situation on the ground is becoming more and more disastrous every day, the limitations on the ground have forced us to being precariously close to suspending some critical humanitarian operations," she warned.
"We are approaching a point of no return. Members of the international community, particularly Members of this Council must urgently come together in support of the Syrian people," she urged.
"As a matter of priority, the Security Council must find ways to reduce the level of violence and stop the bloodshed. Parties must be reminded of their obligation to protect civilians and abide by International Humanitarian Law. The consequences of violating those rules must be made clear to all," she said.
"We all look to this Council to guarantee the peace and security of the people of our world. My appeal to this Council is on behalf of the Syrian people, but it is also on behalf of all those seeking to assist them. We are losing hope. We cannot do our jobs properly. We look to you to take the action necessary to end this brutal conflict," she added.
She told the Council that "at a time when needs are growing dramatically, so too are the constraints inhibiting our ability to scale up the humanitarian response. So the question facing all of us around this table is, 'when is not enough too little, and when does continuing to do too little become part of the problem?'.
Deir Az Zor, Hama, Homs and Idlib have been reduced to rubble, she noted, warning that diseases will multiply as the summer heat approaches. And there are growing concerns about outbreaks of diarrhea and "potentially even cholera if the most basic of services cannot be urgently restored".
She reported that despite some "areas of improvement" in her Office's relationship with the Syrian Government, "bureaucratic obstacles have grown and are inhibiting our ability to respond".
Twenty-one visas are pending, many for over two months, she noted. All aid convoys require 72 hours' notice with as many as ten Notes Verbales exchanged to gain approval for a single convoy. The approved list of NGOs has recently reduced from 110 to 29.
Twenty-two armoured vehicles, so vital for staff security, are still pending approval for import, she added, and in the last twenty-four hours, we have been informed that every truck needs a permit signed by two ministers to enable clearance through Government checkpoints.
She also noted that the people in opposition-held areas are in the most urgent need. "We have a duty and responsibility to try to reach them".
"We need to get aid into these hard-to-reach areas. It is difficult to do cross-line because of bureaucratic constraints. The Council needs to consider alternative forms of aid delivery, including cross-border operations," she urged. (end) sj.mt KUNA 182142 Apr 13NNNN