David McAllister MEP: Joint Statement on UN Security Council’s decision to extend the use of the Bab al-Hawa humanitarian aid corridor until 10 July 2023

The Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, David McAllister (EPP, DE), the Chair of the Committee on Development, Tomas Tobé (EPP, SV), and the Chair of the Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries, Isabel Santos (S&D, PT) warmly welcome the decision by the United Nations Security Council on 9 January, to extend for six months the authorisation for the United Nations to use the crossing point of Bab al-Hawa from Turkey to Syria for humanitarian deliveries.

The European Parliament with its resolutions has always supported the renewal of the cross-border resolution in order to avoid a worsening humanitarian crisis and ensure the expansion and support for cross-line interventions carried out in line with humanitarian principles. This renewal was imperative, since according to the United Nations 4,1 million people are in need of assistance through this humanitarian corridor, including close to 2 million internally displaced people living in extremely difficult conditions. The population is also subject to occasional bombardments creating even more challenges to the people living in these areas.

While the conflict in Syria has not been resolved, the European Parliament will continue to closely monitor the critical situation and humanitarian hardship experienced by millions of Syrians in north-west Syria and oppose any attempt to limit humanitarian access for political purposes.