The “relief chief” is speaking to journalists at United Nations Headquarters in New York just as these two separate lifesaving initiatives are set to expire in the coming days.
He also expressed concern about gender-based violence in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and noted the lack of hope over the crisis in Sudan.
Innovation across Syria’s borders
The northwest region is the opposition’s last stronghold in Syria, and aid has been delivered there from Türkiye through a first-ever UN-mandated cross-border mechanism. Security Council in 2014. He said negotiations on its extension were at a critical juncture.
“I think we are three days away from deciding to extend that resolution, which we are all very clear on,” he said.
Mr Griffiths also stressed the need to ensure increased humanitarian assistance to Syria, where a staggering 90% of the population is living below the poverty line after more than a decade of war.
Serious lack of funds
A $5.4 billion plan for aid operations this year, he added, is only 12% funded, and possible consequences include the World Food Program (WFP) were forced to cut their rations by 40%.
“The big story for me about Syria, among many other facets of the tragedy of that conflict, is the lack of aid,” he said.
Mr. Griffiths also mentioned the Black Sea Grains Initiative, part of landmark UN-brokered agreements signed last July with Russia, Ukraine and Türkiye.
Grain deal coming to an end
This agreement has facilitated the export of millions of tons of grain and foodstuffs from Ukraine, and aims to ensure the same for Russian food and fertilizers. It expires in the middle of the month, and Moscow has repeatedly said it sees no reason to continue participating.
In a statement on Friday, the UN Secretary General António Guterres reiterates the importance of “full and ongoing implementation of the agreements”.
“The world has seen the value of the Black Sea initiative,” Mr. Griffiths said in response to a question from a journalist. “So this is not something you throw away.”
‘There is no hope’ in Sudan
Griffiths will travel to Ethiopia this weekend for a meeting on Sudan, where fighting between rival military forces has displaced nearly three million people since mid-April.
“Sudan has been a story that hasn’t gotten any better in the past weeks,” he said, noting that access to the Darfur region was “virtually zero”.
He said that although authorities in neighboring Chad have helped in bringing humanitarians into West Darfur, the security situation there remains extremely dangerous. Transporting aid from Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast is also a challenge.
“Sudan, in my view, is a place with no hope at the moment and a place where there is only work to be done,” he said, referring to the need to mobilize funding and ensure cross-border access. from Egypt, Chad, and Ethiopia, as well as within the country.
Mr. Griffiths highlighted the important role civil society partners play in delivering aid in Sudan, who “risk their lives and hands on a daily basis to help the local community and its vicinity. Surname”.
Violence based on gender
The humanitarian director also addressed gender-based violence in the DRC, describing it as one of the “terrible, terrible tragedies” in the country. He warned that there could be “an unusual number” of 125,000 cases this year if current rates of the disease continue.
“We need to clear this up because it’s not just the DRC,” he said. “The Secretary-General spoke about it in the Haitian context. It’s also in Sudan. But, the DRC to me is the epitome of the appalling nature of the inhumanity of men, primarily against women and girls.”
Climate change challenge
Turning to climate change, Mr. Griffiths pointed to unprecedented drought in the Horn of Africa after six consecutive rainy seasons. The humanitarian response also continues after earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye in February, and historic flooding in Pakistan last year.
He said humanitarian organizations have increased their participation in UN climate change conferences, known as COPs, the latest of which will be held in the United Arab Emirates on this November.
“Our emphasis… in joining the COP will be on trying to maximize the use of climate funds for frontline communities around the world directly impacted by climate. So it’s about adaptation and resilience,” he said.
