Today, I am announcing that the United Nations is launching a $397 million humanitarian appeal for the people of earthquake-ravaged Syria. This will cover a period of 3 months.
We are in the final stages of a similar appeal for Türkiye.
In the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes, the United Nations rapidly provided $50 million through the Central Emergency Response Fund. But the needs are immense.
The Syria effort brings together the entire UN system and humanitarian partners and will help secure desperately needed, life-saving relief for nearly 5 million Syrians – including shelter, healthcare, food and protection.
The most effective way to stand with the people is by providing this emergency funding.
We all know that lifesaving aid has not been getting in at the speed and scale needed. The scale of this disaster is one the worst in recent memory.
One week after the devastating earthquakes, millions of people across the region are struggling for survival, homeless and in freezing temperatures.
We are doing all we can to change this. But much more is needed.
I have an urgent message to the international community:
The human suffering from this epic natural disaster should not be made even worse by manmade obstacles — access, funding, supplies.
Aid must get through from all sides, to all sides, through all routes – without any restrictions.
As we speak, an 11-truck convoy is on the move to cross through Bab Al-Salam with many more to come.
As High Commissioner for Refugees, I witnessed the enormous generosity and humanity of the Syrian people receiving and protecting refugees from neighbouring countries and always sharing with them their own limited resources.
That spirit of generosity must be matched now by the global community.
I urge Member States and others to fully fund this effort without delay and help the millions of children, women and men whose lives have been upended by this generational disaster.
This is a moment for unity, for common humanity and concerted action.
Thank you.