UN speaks of 'fragile' progress  in Syria

UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher stressed that Syria is witnessing real but very fragile progress, stressing the need for continued international support to ensure the country's ability to meet the accumulated challenges.

During his briefing to the Security Council on May 15, Fletcher explained that the level of violence has decreased, sanctions have been partially eased, humanitarian access has improved, but funding is falling faster than growing needs.

Two-thirds of Syria's population will need assistance this year, mostly women, girls and children, while current funding levels allow only half of them to be reached, he said.

Nearly half a year on, the Syria Humanitarian Response Appeal is still just over 16 percent funded, with nearly 90 percent of that funding coming from the United States, European countries, Japan, and Canada.

Fletcher said the lack of funding had forced the World Food Programme (WFP) to cut its emergency food assistance in Syria by 50 per cent and to suspend its nationwide bread subsidy programme, which was providing support to millions of people every day.

Refugee Return Opens Window for Recovery

Investing in recovery has become a key element for stabilization, Fletcher said, noting that 3.4 million refugees and internally displaced people will return in 2025, in addition to 315,000 refugees who returned in the first four months of 2026.

He said that the increase in the number of returnees, along with enhanced institutional stability and improved humanitarian access, allows for the transition from emergency response to a more sustainable development path, but stressed that the success of this transition depends on seizing the moment and supporting priority sectors.

He stressed that the Syrian government has clear priorities to move from dependence on aid to sustainable national solutions, calling for strong international support for this trend.

Failure to fund the humanitarian phase and support recovery could turn current gaps into crises that will be difficult to contain in the future, he warned.

For his part, UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Claudio Cordone said that Syrians continue to face harsh living conditions that have led to the escalation of protests in several areas, noting that the chances of recovery and reconstruction continue to face significant challenges due to the continued sanctions and the accumulated economic and institutional impacts.

UN cuts food aid to Syria

The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced a 50% reduction in its emergency food assistance to Syria, reducing the number of beneficiaries from 1.3 million to 650,000 in May.

On May 13, the UN programme also suspended bread subsidies across Syria, which it said were providing support to millions of people daily, and attributed the reduction of its operations in Syria to a severe lack of funding.

UN ends cross-border aid from Turkey to Syria

The United Nations announced on Monday (May 4th) the cross-border humanitarian aid operations from Turkey to Syria, after more than 11 years of continuity, according to the spokesman of the UN Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, as a result of the reopening of crossings to commercial traffic and improved access through the usual supply routes, according to him.

He pointed out that the Cross-Border Aid Mechanism through Turkey has played an "important role" for many years, adding, "During each year of its work, this mechanism has succeeded in delivering more than 65,000 trucks loaded with vital humanitarian aid across the border, with the aim of supporting about 1.25 million people."

The UN official explained that the termination of this mechanism coincided with the expansion of opportunities for the delivery of aid to Syria through normal trade channels, and with the gradual return of important trade links.

At the same time, Dujarric stressed that the need for humanitarian assistance in Syria is "still high", noting that more than 13 million Syrians are in need of food aid, 12 million people need access to clean water, while about 13 million people also depend on support for health services.