29-03-2024 02:44 AM Jerusalem Timing

Mikdad: Syrian Government Exerts Utmost to Deliver Humanitarian Aid to Citizens

Mikdad: Syrian Government Exerts Utmost to Deliver Humanitarian Aid to Citizens

Faisal Mikdad affirmed that the Syrian government is doing its best to deliver humanitarian aid to every citizen that needs it in light of the current crisis, asserting that this issue is a prime concern for Syria.

Syrian Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Dr.Mikdad Faisal Mikdad affirmed that the Syrian government is doing its best to deliver humanitarian aid to every citizen that needs it in light of the current crisis, asserting that this issue is a prime concern for Syria.

In a press conference on Monday, Mikdad noted that before the crisis, Syria was a pioneer in the region in terms of health services, social care, food, clean water and all that is related to the life of Syrian people and that preserves their dignity.

Mikdad announced that directions to all bodies concerned in Syria will be issued in the coming few days to dispatch humanitarian aid convoys, organized by the UN, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Organization (SARC), the International Red Cross and all humanitarian governmental organizations and NGOs, to the ''trapped civilians, especially in hotspots,'' according to mechanisms that would ensure that relief aid reach those in need.

The government has not prevented the humanitarian aid reaching any part of Syria, Mikdad affirmed, adding that the humanitarian organizations have informed it that gunmen in certain areas had seized and robbed humanitarian aid convoys loaded with medicine that were headed to the trapped civilians in some areas in Aleppo.

He pointed out that the primary problem hindering the delivery of aid to some provinces is the targeting of aid convoys by terrorist groups, with many convoys having been seized by terrorists and distributed among armed groups without eliciting a single protest or comment from those who claim to call for delivering humanitarian relief to those who need it.

Mikdad said that the lack of comments on the terrorists' prevention of delivering aid to citizens shows the nature of international hypocrisy and lack of objectivity in dealing with such issues when it comes to the infringements of armed groups in the field of humanitarian work and their crimes against citizens.

Mikdad said that the armed groups have obstructed the delivery of aid to al-Moaddamiah locals through targeting aid convoys heading there, pointing to the tragedy of Nubbul and al-Zahraa locals that has been dragging on ''with no word uttered by those who are speaking of a deteriorating humanitarian situation or the organizations that are providing meager assistance if compared to the Syrian government's immense work and funding.''


He asserted that since the beginning of the crisis, terrorist groups have targeted the all the essential services and aid provided by the government to the Syrian people, with establishments that provide health services and food becoming a target of terrorist attacks, with terrorists destroying hospitals, schools, and factories that provide food and medicine to the Syrian people, in addition to destroying electric power station, stealing drinking water and grain silos, attacking roads and railways, and depriving citizens of basic services, all in order to achieve the terrorists' inhumane goals at the expense of the government's efforts to provide humanitarian services.

Mikdad said that the Turkish government is playing a destructive role in Syria by allowing terrorists from 83 countries to enter Syria and commit crimes in it, while the government keeps rebuilding what terrorists destroy.

The Deputy Minister said that the vicious attack targeting Syria has humanitarian and political dimensions, pointing out that the countries supporting terrorism in Syria wanted to achieve their goals by affecting the humanitarian conditions of Syrians, adding that the sole aim of the economic embargo imposed by Western countries including the United States and France and contributed to by some Arab countries like Saudi Arabia is to achieve political goals by making sure that humanitarian services do not reach Syrian citizens.

Mikdad said that the US administration and some Western countries – including France which has become blind and whose actions contradict the principles of the French Revolution – are supporting terrorists in order to kill Syrian citizens, either by starving them or by destroying the Syrian economic establishments that Syria built over generations.

He said that the US and its allies are engaged in a campaign of hypocrisy and misdirection against Syria ''which is an ongoing campaign, and we will continue to stand fast,'' stressing that the Syrian army is achieving everyday victories for providing services for the Syrian people wherever they are.

Mikdad said that the US and its allies are engaged in a campaign of hypocrisy and misdirection against Syria ''which is an ongoing campaign, and we will continue to stand fast,'' stressing that the Syrian army is achieving everyday victories for providing services for the Syrian people wherever they are.


He lauded the friendly countries that provided aid to the Syrian people, particularly Russia, Iran, Venezuela and China, while the United States, France, Turkey and Saudi Arabia sent weapons to terrorist groups to kill the Syrian people instead of sending aid to them.

The Deputy Minster also underlined the cooperation between the Syrian government and international humanitarian organizations through the UN and other international governmental organizations and NGOs, asserting that the Syrian government is fully comfortable with cooperating with the aforementioned organizations to deliver aid to all Syrian citizens.

Mikdad said that there are laws regulating providing humanitarian aid in the UN, particularly in terms of respecting countries' sovereignty and working via national government to provide aid, asserting that the Syrian government will cooperate with all organizations within these guidelines, adding that political pressure has no effect on Syria and will not succeed in violating its sovereignty.

He noted that the Higher Committee for Relief is supervising the distribution of aid and housing centers with the help of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), asserting that the Committee is open in its work and discusses all issues related to delivering humanitarian aid to the sides that need them.

Mikdad said that a vaccination campaign targeting children is now underway inside Syria, pledging that the Syrian government is responsible for having every single Syrian child vaccinated regardless of where he is.

He urged the international community to provide vaccines for Syrian children outside Syria, whether in camps or outside, and to provide all other services to them.

Syria has been polio-free over the past twenty years, Mikdad pointed out, indicating that the spread of the disease has so far been confined to Deir Ezzor area.

The countries who harbor ill intentions towards Syria won't back away from conducting campaigns to capitalize on the humanitarian situation there, whether under the pretext of humanitarian intervention or others, the Deputy FM said.

''The majority of the world's populations stand opposed to this pretext as it justifies a new colonialism under new shapes and forms,'' Mikdad said, affirming that the Syrian government will work as it has always done for the wellbeing, security and stability of the Syrian people.

Mikdad thanked the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) for its efforts and sacrifices and coordination between the government and international humanitarian organizations in Syria.

Asked about the statement of the UN envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi that a third of the Syrian people need assistance, Mikdad said that ''this part exceeds Brahimi's powers,'' calling him for focusing more attention on his political mission for making Geneva II a success.

Mikdad reiterated that Syria will attend Geneva II conference "which is an unswerving position of the Syrian government", adding that ensuring the success of the conference entails good preparations and depends on ending violence and terrorism.