UN Syria envoy warns of potential grave consequences for country’s future – JURIST

UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen warned Friday of “grave” consequences for Syria’s future without genuine political inclusion and urgent economic support for a successful political transition.

During a briefing to the Security Council, Pedersen highlighted one of the heaviest legacies of misrule, conflict, abuse, and poverty in Syria, stating:

This means that the situation is inherently still extremely fragile. The vital ingredients to address this fragility are clear: we need genuine political inclusion so that all Syrians can participate meaningfully in shaping their country’s political future, along with countering extremism and terrorism; and real support from the international community to give this transition a chance to succeed against great odds.

Despite expanding to a more diverse cabinet, the new Syrian government has yet to achieve full inclusivity, with more women expressing concerns about their political participation. There is currently only one woman among the 22 cabinet members: Hind Kabawat, a Catholic, was appointed as Minister of Labor and Social Affairs. Moreover, with reference to the violence on the coastal region, Pedersen urged the new government to ensure that all segments of Syrian society are protected to prevent individuals or groups from taking justice into their own hands or committing revenge-driven attacks, as such sporadic incidents continue to persist.

Pedersen also commended the regional support to Syria, which enabled its debt repayment to the World Bank, as well as the UK’s lifting of sanctions. This comes amid Syria’s dire economic situation, with dwindling humanitarian aid posing a major threat. Additionally, he emphasized that both political inclusion and economic action are necessary to succeed in the political transition, as the situation in Syria is “extremely fragile,” with significant challenges.

Following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, the newly appointed Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa announced the formation of a caretaker government, set to last until March 1, 2025. In late March 2025, al-Sharaa unveiled a new government, describing it as “the birth of a new phase in our national process, and the formation of a new government today is a declaration of our common will to build a new State.”