Statement from Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva on worsening humanitarian crisis in Syria

10/12/23, 10:22 PM Statement from Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva on worsening humanitarian crisis in Syria - Syrian Arab Republic | ReliefWeb

Syria(/country/syr)

Statement from Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva on

worsening humanitarian crisis in Syria

News and Press Release

Source: ECHO(/organization/echo)

Posted: 31 Jul 2012

Originally published: 31 Jul 2012

Origin: View original

The European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina

Georgieva, made the following statement:

"Syria is sliding into a large scale humanitarian tragedy that brings back awful memories of Ex-Yugoslavia. For

the sake of people subjected to daily violence and horrors, we must not let this happen. Parties to the civil war

are bound by International Humanitarian Law to spare non-combatant civilians, especially women and

children. Civilians in Syria must be given the possibility to leave the areas of fighting in an organised and safe

manner without having to fear for their life.

Similarly, humanitarian organisations must be granted safe access to combat zones to proceed with the

evacuation of the wounded and civilians. | call for full and unimpeded access for all impartial and neutral

humanitarian organisations, irrespective of whether they belong to the United Nations, the Red Cross/Red

Crescent movement or the non-governmental sector.

This applies in particular to those humanitarian organisations specialised in the provision of emergency

medical care. To ensure this vital care, | call on all sides of the conflict to respect the humanitarian symbols

and to cease and desist from prosecution of medical personnel, the use of hospitals as places of detention

and interrogation, and any impediment to the provision of medical care under international humanitarian law.

| would like to commend the courage and professionalism of humanitarian workers on the ground, the vast

majority of whom are volunteers, and who continue to deliver vital humanitarian assistance to people in need

across the country. Six of them have already been killed in the service of their people. It is high time that their

safety is fully respected and protected as demanded by International Humanitarian Law.

To guarantee the safety of civilians, the wounded and humanitarian workers, it is paramount to secure

humanitarian pauses in fighting. This would be the humane thing to do, but also the right thing to do, under

International Humanitarian Law. The protection of civilians, including humanitarian workers, is an obligation

for all parties involved in the fighting. Violations of humanitarian law, such as, for instance, the targeting of

medical facilities and staff clearly protected by humanitarian symbols constitute war crimes.

https://reliefweb .int/report/syrian-arab-republic/statement-commissioner-kristalina-georgieva-worsening-humanitarian 114

10/12/23, 10:22 PM Statement from Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva on worsening humanitarian crisis in Syria - Syrian Arab Republic | ReliefWeb

Humanitarian aid is no solution to the conflict; but should neither be taken hostage by the conflict. | appeal to

the international community and in particular the United Nations Security Council to focus on the humanitarian

crisis in Syria and support my call for humanitarian pauses and respect for International Humanitarian Law".

Primary country:

Syrian Arab Republic(/country/syr)

Source:

European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid

Operations(/organization/echo)

Format:

News and Press Release(/updates?list=News%20and%20Press%20Release%20Updates&advanced-

search=%28F8%29),

Theme:

Protection and Human Rights(/updates?

list=Protection%20and%20Human%20Rights%20Updates&advanced-search=%28T4600%29)

Language:

English(/updates?list=English%20Updates&advanced-search=%28L267%29),

Related Content

Syria(/country/syr) Syria - Conflict escalation in the Northwest (DG ECHO partners, WHO,

CCCM Cluster) (ECHO Daily Flash of 12 October 2023)

(https://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-republic/syria-conflict-escalation-northwest-

dg-echo-partners-who-cccm-cluster-echo-daily-flash-12-october-2023)

News and Press Release

https://reliefweb .int/report/syrian-arab-republic/statement-commissioner-kristalina-georgieva-worsening-humanitarian 2/4

10/12/23, 10:22 PM Statement from Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva on worsening humanitarian crisis in Syria - Syrian Arab Republic | ReliefWeb

Source: ECHO(/organization/echo),

Posted: 12 Oct 2023

Originally published: 12 Oct 2023

Syria(/country/syr) Continuation of Violence in Northwest

Syria(https://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-republic/continuation-violence-

northwest-syria)

News and Press Release

Source: NWS NGO Forum(/organization/nws-ngo-forum),

Posted: 12 Oct 2023

Originally published: 12 Oct 2023

Syria(/country/syr) With 14 citations, SNHR is a principal source in the case brought by

Dutch/Canadian prosecutors before the ICJ against the Syrian regime for violating the

UN Convention against Torture [EN/AR](https://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-

republic/14-citations-snhr-principal-source-case-brought-dutchcanadian-prosecutors-

icj-against-syrian-regime-violating-un-convention-against-torture-enar)

News and Press Release

Source: SNHR(/organization/snhr)

Posted: 11 Oct 2023

Originally published: 11 Oct 2023

Syria(/country/syr) Northwest Syria: Military escalations worsen dire humanitarian

situation(https://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-republic/northwest-syria-military-

escalations-worsen-dire-humanitarian-situation)

News and Press Release

Source: MSF(/organization/msf)

Posted: 11 Oct 2023

Originally published: 11 Oct 2023

https://reliefweb .int/report/syrian-arab-republic/statement-commissioner-kristalina-georgieva-worsening-humanitarian 3/4

10/12/23, 10:22 PM Statement from Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva on worsening humanitarian crisis in Syria - Syrian Arab Republic | ReliefWeb

https://reliefweb .int/report/syrian-arab-republic/statement-commissioner-kristalina-georgieva-worsening-humanitarian 4/4

بيان من المفوضة كريستالينا جورجيفا يحذّر من انزلاق سورية نحو مأساة إنسانية واسعة تذكّر بيوغسلافيا السابقة، ويطالب أطراف الصراع باحترام القانون الإنساني الدولي.