Syria ,UN discuss cooperation to overcome war damage and siege

Damascus, SANA- Minister of Local Administration and Environment Hussein Makhlouf said that presence of the US and the Turkish occupation forces hinders the ability to facilitate Syrian refugees’ return, calling for joint efforts to facilitate their return , end the two occupations and lift the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria. Makhlouf’s remarks came during a meeting with a number of Ministers and UN delegation headed by Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths on Sunday. Makhlouf pointed out to the importance of continued cooperation in the humanitarian and relief fields between the Syrian government and the UN organizations operating in Syria. He said that the focus is currently on rehabilitation schools, clinics, and infrastructures such as water and electricity in the areas which have been liberated from terrorism in order to encourage the citizens’ return to these areas, as nearly five million internally displaced citizens have returned to their areas and there are still displaced ones due to the presence of the Turkish and American occupation troops and terrorism. Education Minister Darem Tabbaa noted that education in Syria has not stopped despite difficulties and there is a great need to rehabilitate schools which damage was caused to them by terrorism. 180 schools are being rehabilitated this year, Tabbaa said, while the actual need is to rehabilitate 1364 schools. Tabbaa noted that 6682 schools in the areas where QSD militia and the Turkish occupation present as the students are studying curricula different from the curricula of Education Ministry there, which threatens the future of generations being grown up on terrorist and extremist ideas. Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, Mohammed Hassan Qatana, pointed out to theft and smuggling of agricultural products, including cotton, wheat , in addition to the theft of livestock, in light of the economic war imposed on Syria, which greatly affect the ability to meet the Syrian People’s needs. Health Minister Hassan al-Ghobash said that the vaccines against coronavirus that reached Syria covers only less than 1% of its population, calling for activating the international agreements and laws to lift the economic sanctions imposed on Syria and fulfilling the urgent humanitarian needs. For his part, Griffiths said that the meeting aims to tackle the needs of the various sectors such as health, education, basic services, and reconstruction, in addition to cooperation for the future of the Syrian people and overcoming challenges being imposed by the current circumstances.