Canada calls for immediate and full humanitarian access for civilians in eastern Ghouta, Syria

Statements

----------

December 15, 2017 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie today issued the following statement: 

“Canada is dismayed at the Assad regime’s continued obstruction of the medical evacuation of some 500 civilians from eastern Ghouta. These civilians are overwhelmingly children, women and the elderly.

“Six months ago, the United Nations provided the Syrian regime with a list of people who need to be urgently evacuated from eastern Ghouta. The Syrian regime has done nothing to help the evacuation of these people while names continue to be added to the list as the humanitarian situation deteriorates—and while others have died due to the lack of medical supplies.

“Canada calls for respect for international humanitarian law and basic human decency. We urge the Syrian regime to allow the evacuation of critically ill children, at the absolute minimum. In addition, we call for rapid, full and unimpeded humanitarian access to enable civilians to get life-saving medical treatment that is minutes away from besieged eastern Ghouta, in the suburbs of Damascus.

“Canada stands with the Syrian people and will continue to work with the international community to hold the Assad regime to account.”