An increasing number of Syrians find themselves trapped in an unrelenting cycle of violence and suffering, forced to flee from places of refuge now under attack—both within their homeland and beyond its borders.

I have repeatedly warned of the risks of regional spillover and regional escalation dragging Syria into even deeper conflict. This week has seen a major escalation of regional tensions.

I have four key messages for you today. My first message is a reminder that Syria remains in a state of profound conflict, complexity and division. Syria is riddled with armed actors, listed terrorist groups, foreign armies and front-lines.

The Syrian people remain trapped in a profound crisis, which is becoming more entrenched with time, with no clear political path to implement resolution 2254 emerging, and threatening prolonged division and despair. This is not just tragic – it is dangerous.

After thirteen years of conflict in Syria, and despite a year of new diplomatic avenues, the tragic reality is that developments are all going in the wrong direction – including in the security, humanitarian, human rights, economic and political spheres.

2023 has been another very difficult year for Syria. A year that saw devastating earthquakes, humanitarian needs reaching new highs, the economy plummeting to new lows, and the worst violence in three years.

Since March 2020, the Syrian conflict has been in a kind of strategic stalemate characterized by static front lines, persistent violence and sporadic escalations, with de facto authorities entrenching their control and five foreign armies present and active.

The Syrian people both inside and outside Syria continue to suffer acutely from the conflict in all its dimensions, and the absence of a genuine political process is deeply detrimental to their well-being.

The past month, the violence and suffering experienced by the Syrian people have reminded us all of what is at stake as diplomatic efforts continue on Syria.

We are at a potentially important juncture in efforts to move forward a political process on Syria. In the tragic aftermath of the earthquakes, we have seen renewed diplomatic attention on Syria.

The earthquakes that recently struck Turkiye and Syria have caused unspeakable suffering for millions of people. The Syrians affected - in both countries - were already deep into one of the greatest humanitarian crises of this century, after 12 merciless years of war and conflict. 

Two weeks ago, I visited Damascus to continue my discussion with the Syrian government on advancing the political process to implement resolution 2254. As I did so, conditions on the ground were pointing in worrying directions.

Let me first thank all those Syrians, from inside and outside Syria, who continue to engage with us – especially Syrian women. In a few days, we mark the 22nd anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325.