Bahrain attended 5th conference on the future of Syria and the region

Manama, Mar.30 (BNA): Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Regional and GCC Affairs Ambassador Wahid Mubarak Sayar, participated virtually today in the 5th conference on “Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region” co-hosted by the European Union and the United Nations. He affirmed in his speech the importance of efforts to alleviate the suffering of the brotherly Syrian people, hoping that there would be a positive development to reach a just solution. He stressed Bahrain's support for a political solution to the crisis in Syria, which is based on preserving the sovereignty, stability and territorial integrity of Syria and not interfering in its internal affairs, in accordance with the provisions of international resolutions and Security Council Resolution 2254 of 2015. He underlined the Kingdom's support for the efforts of the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General in Syria, Mr. Geir Pedersen, towards achieving real progress and a political solution to the crisis in a way that positively affects the future of Syria and the region. He indicated that one of the regrettable matters is the significant deterioration in the humanitarian, living and health situation due to the repercussions and effects of COVID-19 on the Syrian people, which calls for the international community to urgently intensify efforts to increase cooperation and coordination to overcome the humanitarian and health consequences of this pandemic and address its negative effects. He said that Bahrain, following the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has presented and implemented many social, educational and housing projects through the Royal Humanitarian Foundation (RHF) in a number of Syrian refugee camps in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The drive was coordinated with the United Nations organizations present there, noting that these housing and educational projects had the effect of improving the social and educational lives of the refugees and their daily livelihood. A number of foreign ministers, representatives of world countries, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice President of the European Commission, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations for Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Special Envoy to Syria and international and civil organizations participated in the conference. The conference sessions dealt with stressing the current urgent need to reach a political solution to the crisis and suffering of the Syrian people after ten years of conflict, implementing Security Council Resolution 2254 and supporting the efforts of the United Nations Special Envoy in Syria to reach a political solution. The conference also dealt with support for the repercussions of the crisis and the conflict on the Syrian people, the challenges and responsibilities facing neighboring and hosting countries of refugees, and the need for the international community to cooperate to ensure the provision of effective humanitarian aid related to education, health, housing and living matters, as well as concerted efforts to combat COVID-19 and its effects on the Syrian people. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, stressed the need to end the war in Syria in order to reach a political solution, noting that the majority of the Syrian people suffer from starvation, calling on the donor countries to help the children of Syria. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, stressed the importance of ending the suffering of Syrians and delivering support to the Syrian people. A number of countries pledged to provide aid to the Syrian people and receiving countries, either through cash donations or through the establishment of a number of projects that serve refugees.