Overview
- UN officials told the Security Council that more than 2 million internally displaced people and over 1.3 million refugees have returned, many to damaged homes and scarce services.
- The 2025 humanitarian appeal is roughly 30% funded even as the streamlined response now reaches about 3.4 million people per month, with sub‑national hubs reporting to Damascus and a shift from cross‑border deliveries to commercial supply routes.
- Recent violence underscores ongoing risks, including a deadly attack in Palmyra, inter‑communal clashes earlier this year, and a late‑November Israeli operation in Beit Jinn that killed 13 people and displaced families.
- Council delegates referenced their visit to Syria and Lebanon aimed at building trust, welcomed plans to relocate the UN Special Envoy’s office to Damascus, and noted that eased sanctions and growing regional investment could support recovery.
- Speakers emphasized that consolidating gains requires an inclusive political process, accountability for past abuses, and meaningful participation by women and diverse communities.