Equipo Nizkor - UNSC S/2016/136 - Summary of the humanitarian assistance deliveries approved by the Syrian Government at the request of the UN and the ICRC.

United Nations
Security Council

S/2016/136

Distr.: General
17 February 2016
English
Original: Arabic

Identical letters dated 11 February 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

On instructions from my Government, I wish to transmit to you a summary of the humanitarian assistance deliveries that the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic has recently approved at the request of the United Nations, its agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

On 1 December 2015, the Government approved the request of the World Health Organization (WHO) to send a medical shipment providing for 250 dialysis sessions to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent centre in the city of Duma, governorate of Rif Dimashq. A copy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs memorandum 3498, dated 1 December 2015, is annexed hereto (see annex I).

On 9 December 2015, in the context of the national vaccination programme, the Government approved the request of WHO to send vaccines to hotspots in the governorates of Damascus, Rif Dimashq, Aleppo, Raqqah, Homs, Idlib, Hasakah, Qunaytirah, Dayr al-Zawr and Suwayda'. A copy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs memorandum 3590, dated 9 December 2015, is annexed hereto (see annex II).

On 16 December 2015, the Government approved the request of WHO to send medical assistance to Nubul and Zahra in Aleppo governorate, to Dayr al-Zawr and to Maqrusah in Qunaytirah governorate. A copy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs memorandum 3711, dated 16 December 2015, is annexed hereto (see annex III).

On 21 December 2015, approval was given for the United Nations to send assistance to Bludan in Rif Dimashq and to Salamiyah, Muhradah, Suqaylabiyah, Sabburah and Harbnafsah in Hama governorate. Despite the Syrian Government's approval, no action has yet been taken on those requests.

In the context of the agreement that was reached with regard to Fu'ah and Kafraya in Idlib governorate and Zabadani and Madaya in Rif Dimashq governorate, several approvals were issued for the office of the Resident Coordinator and ICRC jointly to deliver humanitarian assistance to those areas (phase 2 of the agreement). Deliveries took place on 11 and 14 January 2016. On 18 January, Madaya alone was accessed in order to assess needs and deliver fuel. Concurrently, approval was given for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme to deliver relief supplies to Madaya, Fu'ah and Kafraya.

On 21 January and 1 February 2016, approval was given for the United Nations to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Mu'addamiyah district of Rif Dimashq. Copies of Ministry of Foreign Affairs memorandums 250, dated 21 January 2016, and 364, dated 1 February 2016, are annexed hereto (see annexes IV and V).

On 24 January and 1 February, approval was given for the United Nations to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Tall district of Rif Dimashq governorate. Copies of Ministry of Foreign Affairs memorandums 263, dated 24 January 2016, and 365, dated 1 February 2016, are annexed hereto (see annexes VI and VII).

On 3 February 2016, approval was given for the United Nations to deliver assistance to the Wa'r area of Homs city. A copy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs memorandum 413, dated 3 February 2016, is annexed hereto (see annex VIII).

Approval was given for WHO to deliver leishmaniosis medication to Raqqah governorate in January 2016.

On 1 February 2016, the World Food Programme was informed that it could deposit at Qamishli Airport any relief supplies that it wished to deliver to Dayr al-Zawr governorate. The supplies would then be transported on a helicopter that had been placed at the disposal of the Governor of Dayr al-Zawr for the daily transport of relief assistance.

Approval has been given for ICRC to deliver assistance to Mu'addamiyah. ICRC has been delivering that assistance since 2 February 2016 in cooperation with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Between 700 and 1,000 food parcels have been delivered each day for a week, for a total of 5,250 parcels. Medical supplies have also been delivered to Mu'addamiyah.

On 3 February 2016, ICRC delivered humanitarian assistance to Tall district through the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Some 12,000 food and health parcels, in addition to 25 tons of food supplies, were delivered to community kitchens.

On 3 February 2016, the Syrian Government informed the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator of its decision that relief assistance should be delivered periodically to the towns of Fu'ah and Kafraya in Idlib governorate and the town of Madaya in Rif Dimashq governorate. A copy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs memorandum 394, dated 3 February 2016, is annexed hereto (see annex IX).

On 8 February 2016, approval was given for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to enter Yarmouk camp in Damascus governorate and Yalda, Babila and Bayt Saham in Rif Dimashq governorate, in order to provide Palestine refugees and other civilians with food, clean water, health care, winter necessities and other humanitarian supplies and services. A copy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs memorandum 457, dated 8 February 2016, is annexed hereto (see annex X).

On 8 February 2016, approval was given for a request to deliver a shipment of medical assistance, including various types of child medication, vaccines, medication for chronic diseases and wheelchairs for elderly and infirm people to the headquarters of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent in the city of Duma, in Rif Dimashq governorate.

The Syrian Arab Red Crescent delivered humanitarian assistance to the towns of Nubul and Zahra' immediately after the lifting of the siege that armed terrorist groups had imposed on the town for three and a half years.

We wish to recall that on 27 December 2015, the Syrian Government sent a memorandum to the office of the Resident Coordinator referring to the agreement that had been reached regarding Fu'ah and Kafraya in Idlib governorate and Zabadani and Madaya in Rif Dimashq governorate. The memorandum asked the office of the Resident Coordinator to take the necessary action as quickly as possible so that, at the same time that the wounded were being evacuated from those areas, medication and fuel could be delivered by 29 December 2015 as a priority. Food assistance could subsequently be delivered to Madaya, Kafraya and Fu'ah. However, the United Nations did not respond to that request. A copy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs memorandum 3746, dated 27 December 2015, is annexed hereto (see annex XI).

The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic is examining the other requests submitted by the United Nations and ICRC. It remains committed to delivering humanitarian assistance to all affected Syrians and others with a similar status throughout Syria, without discrimination. This includes the requests that have been submitted for the delivery of assistance to various hotspots in Aleppo governorate.

I should be grateful if you would have the present letter and its annexes circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Bashar Ja'afari
Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic
to the United Nations

Annex I to the identical letters dated 11 February 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Syrian Arab Republic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
Department of International Organizations and Conferences

Ref.: 3498

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic presents its compliments to the office of WHO in Syria and refers to its memorandum 4722-2, dated 5 November 2015, concerning a request for approval to send a medical shipment providing for 250 dialysis sessions to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent centre in Duma, governorate of Rif Dimashq.

The Ministry has the honour to inform the office that it approves the aforementioned request to deliver the supplies in question to the district of Duma, governorate of Rif Dimashq. Please inform us of the time of deployment, the numbers of the shipments and the names of the drivers. The operation should take place in full coordination with the Ministry of Health and under the supervision of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. There should also be full coordination with the Governor of Rif Dimashq and the competent Government agencies.

The Ministry takes this opportunity to convey to the office of WHO in the Syrian Arab Republic the assurances of its highest consideration.

Damascus, 1 December 2015

Office of WHO
Damascus

Annex II to the identical letters dated 11 February 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Syrian Arab Republic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
Department of International Organizations and Conferences

Ref.: 3590

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic presents its compliments to the office of WHO in Syria and refers to its memorandum 5424, dated 12 November 2015, requesting approval to send vaccines listed in the national vaccination programme to the following areas:

Rif Dimashq governorate: Duma, Nashabiyah, Harasta, Madaya, Buqayn, Zabadani, Darayya and Hajar al-Aswad
Damascus governorate: Tadamun, Jawbar and Yarmouk camp
Aleppo governorate: Ayn al-Arab, Area 4, Area 3, Sam'an and Dayr Hafir
Raqqah governorate: all of the governorate (the most recent vaccine shipment took place in September 2015)
Homs governorate: Tall Daww, part of Tall Kalakh
Idlib governorate: Kafraya and Fu'ah
Suwayda' governorate: Bedouin areas
Hasakah governorate: Shaddadi, Hawl, Tall Birak and Jabal Abdul'aziz
Qunaytirah governorate: Jabatha al -Khashab, Masharah, Ufaniya and Taranjah
Dayr al-Zawr governorate: All of the governorate, except for a limited section of the city. Since 2015, children under 5 in the governorate either have not been vaccinated at all, or have been sent vaccines sporadically and in insufficient quantities.

The Ministry has the honour to inform the office that it approves the sending of the aforementioned vaccines to the areas listed, provided that the operation takes place in full coordination with the Ministry of Health and under the supervision of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. There should also be full coordination with the Governor of Rif Dimashq and the competent Government agencies.

The Ministry takes this opportunity to convey to the office of WHO the assurances of its highest consideration.

Damascus, 9 December 2015

Office of WHO
Damascus

Annex III to the identical letters dated 11 February 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Syrian Arab Republic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
Department of International Organizations and Conferences

Ref.: 3711

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic presents its compliments to the office of WHO in Syria and has the honour to refer to its memorandum 5010, dated 5 October 2015, concerning the sending of humanitarian assistance to the following areas:

- Aleppo governorate: Nubul and Zahra'

- Dayr al-Zawr governorate

- Qunaytirah governorate: Maqrusah.

The Ministry has the honour to inform the office that it approves the aforementioned request to deliver medical assistance to the areas listed. Because the areas are hard to reach, the operation should take place through the departments of health in the governorates in question. Please inform us of the time of deployment, the numbers of the shipments and the names of the drivers. The operation should take place in full coordination with the Ministry of Health and under the supervision of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. There should also be full coordination with the governors and the competent Government agencies.

The Ministry takes this opportunity to convey to the office of WHO in the Syrian Arab Republic the assurances of its highest consideration.

Damascus, 16 December 2015

Office of WHO
Damascus

Annex IV to the identical letters dated 11 February 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Syrian Arab Republic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
Department of International Organizations and Conferences

Ref.: 250

Urgent

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic presents its compliments to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Damascus and refers to its memorandum 68 of 14 January 2016 concerning the United Nations' request for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to 44,000 persons in need during the period from 21 January to 4 February 2016. The delivery would take place in cooperation with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and ICRC.

The Ministry has the honour to inform the office that it approves the request for humanitarian assistance delivery in principle. The assistance should be left in the area between the last Syrian Arab Army checkpoint and the entrance to the town of Mu'addamiyah in order to ensure that it is distributed in accordance with the list provided by the reconciliation committee to the affected civilians. That approach would ensure that the assistance does not fall into the hands of armed terrorist groups, which travel between the towns of Darayya and Mu'addamiyah. Action should be taken to deliver the humanitarian assistance in full coordination with the Governor of Rif Dimashq, the competent Government agencies and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.

The Ministry takes this opportunity to convey to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator the assurances of its highest consideration.

Damascus, 21 January 2016

Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Damascus

Annex V to the identical letters dated 11 February 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Syrian Arab Republic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
Department of International Organizations and Conferences

Ref.: 364

Urgent

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic presents its compliments to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator and writes further to its own memorandum 250, dated 21 January 2016, which agreed in principle to the request of the United Nations for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Mu'addamiyah in cooperation with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and ICRC.

The Ministry has the honour to inform the office that it approves the delivery of 2,500 food parcels and 2,500 health parcels to Mu'addamiyah, Rif Dimashq governorate, on 1 February 2016. The assistance should be left in the area between the last Syrian Arab Army checkpoint and the entrance to the town of Mu'addamiyah. Action should be taken to deliver the humanitarian assistance in full coordination with the Governor of Rif Dimashq, the competent Government agencies and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.

The Ministry takes this opportunity to convey to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator the assurances of its highest consideration.

Damascus, 1 February 2016

Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Damascus

Annex VI to the identical letters dated 11 February 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Syrian Arab Republic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
Department of International Organizations and Conferences

Ref.: 263

Urgent

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic presents its compliments to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator and refers to the United Nations' request for the Ministry to approve the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Tall district of Rif Dimashq governorate.

The Ministry has the honour to inform the office that it has no objection to the aforementioned request, provided that it is given a list of the quantities and types of humanitarian assistance to be delivered and the proposed delivery date, so that the competent agencies can take action accordingly.

The Ministry takes this opportunity to convey to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator the assurances of its highest consideration.

Damascus, 24 January 2016

Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Damascus

Annex VII to the identical letters dated 11 February 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Syrian Arab Republic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
Department of International Organizations and Conferences

Ref.: 365

Urgent

The Ministry has the honour to inform the office that it approves the delivery of 3,500 food parcels and 3,500 health parcels to Tall district on 1 February 2016. Action should be taken to deliver the humanitarian assistance in full coordination with the Governor of Rif Dimashq, the competent Government agencies and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.

The Ministry takes this opportunity to convey to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator the assurances of its highest consideration.

Damascus, 1 February 2016

Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Damascus

Annex VIII to the identical letters dated 11 February 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Syrian Arab Republic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
Department of International Organizations and Conferences

Ref.: 413

Urgent

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic presents its compliments to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Damascus and refers to letter alif ha' 1/2016, dated 25 January 2016, from the United Nations branch office in Homs addressed to the Governor of Homs. The letter requests approval for the deployment of a humanitarian relief convoy to the Wa'r area of Homs city on 4 February 2016. It states that the United Nations team and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent would accompany the convoy.

The Ministry has the honour to inform the office that it approves the United Nations' request to deploy a humanitarian relief convoy from the Wa'r area of Homs city on 4 February 2016. The delivery of assistance, as detailed in the list enclosed with the aforementioned letter, should take place in full cooperation with the Governor of Homs, the competent Government agencies and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.

The Ministry takes this opportunity to convey to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator the assurances of its highest consideration.

Damascus, 3 February 2016

Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Damascus

Annex IX to the identical letters dated 11 February 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Syrian Arab Republic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
Department of International Organizations and Conferences

Ref.: 394

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic presents its compliments to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Damascus and has the honour to inform the office that the Syrian Government has decided that relief assistance should be delivered periodically to the towns of Fu'ah and Kafraya, in Idlib governorate, and the town of Madaya in Rif Dimashq governorate. The High Relief Committee will take the necessary measures to implement the decision. In that connection, the Syrian Government wishes to state that it deplores the crisis that was fabricated as a result of the difficult humanitarian situation in one of the towns. Certain parties in the region and beyond, not to mention certain high-level officials of the United Nations Secretariat, displayed a form of discrimination by fully ignoring the suffering of Syrian civilians in Kafraya and Fu'ah, concentrating instead on the Syrian civilians in the town of Madaya. Their purpose in so doing was to continue politicizing the humanitarian crisis in Syria, bring pressure to bear on the Syrian Government and muddy the waters for the third Geneva Conference. In that connection, the Ministry recalls the contents of its memorandum 3746 of 27 December 2015 addressed to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Syrian Arab Republic, a copy of which is enclosed herewith. That memorandum has been deliberately ignored by the United Nations.

The Ministry takes this opportunity to convey to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator the assurances of its highest consideration.

Enclosed: copy of memorandum 3746
Damascus, 3 February 2016

Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Damascus

Annex X to the identical letters dated 11 February 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Syrian Arab Republic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
Department of International Organizations and Conferences

Ref.: 457

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic presents its compliments to UNRWA office in Damascus and refers to its memorandum 300, dated 21 December 2015, concerning a request to facilitate the access of UNRWA to Yarmouk camp, Yalda, Babila and Bayt Saham, in Damascus and Rif Dimashq governorates, in order to provide Palestine refugees and other civilians with food, clean water, health care, winter necessities and other humanitarian supplies and services.

The Ministry has the honour to inform the office that it approves the request of UNRWA to enter Yarmouk camp, Yalda, Babila and Bayt Saham through Bayt Saham checkpoint for the aforementioned purpose. The operation should take place in full cooperation with the General Administration for Palestine Arab Refugees, the office of the Governor of Damascus, the office of the Governor of Rif Dimashq and the competent Government agencies.

The Ministry takes this opportunity to convey to the office of UNRWA the assurances of its highest consideration.

Damascus, 8 February 2016

Office of UNRWA in Damascus

Annex XI to the identical letters dated 11 February 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Syrian Arab Republic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
Department of International Organizations and Conferences

Ref.: 3746

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic presents its compliments to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator and refers to the agreement that was reached regarding Fu'ah and Kafraya in Idlib governorate, Zabadani and Madaya in Rif Dimashq governorate, and operations to evacuate the wounded in that connection.

The Ministry has the honour to request that the office of the Resident Coordinator take the necessary action as quickly as possible so that, at the same time that the wounded are being evacuated from those areas, medication and fuel can be delivered by 29 December 2015 as a priority. Food assistance could can be delivered three days later to the areas of Madaya, Kafraya and Fu'ah, in view of the harsh living conditions in those areas.

The Ministry takes this opportunity to convey to the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Damascus the assurances of its highest consideration.

Damascus, 27 December 2015

Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Damascus

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17Feb16

Summary of the humanitarian assistance deliveries approved by the Syrian Government at the request of the UN and the ICRC