The UN Security Council convened to address Syria's ongoing transition, with speakers across the chamber stressing that all Syrians — including women, minorities, and civil society — must have a meaningful voice in shaping the country's future.
Claudio Cordone, Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, recalled UN Secretary-General António Guterres' first visit to Syria in 17 years, during which Guterres stated: "The success of the political transition will ultimately be measured by whether all Syrians feel represented in State institutions and able to participate meaningfully in shaping their country's future." Cordone highlighted the conviction and sentencing of former President Bashar al-Assad and other officials, continued Israeli military activity in violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, and the announced dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces — which he described as "important progress" towards integration of north-east Syria — while noting unresolved tensions in the southern city of Sweida.
Rola Roukbi, Country Director for Lebanon at Women Now for Development, identified "one of the greatest risks" in Syria's transition as changing "the people in power without changing the way power is exercised." She warned against excessive centralization and noted that women hold less than 11 per cent of legislative seats and only one seat in the transitional Cabinet. "Meaningful participation means women being present where decisions are made, not only when photos are being taken," she said, urging that international support be tied to clear benchmarks on human rights, the rule of law, and accountability.
Denmark's representative, serving as Council President for August, said inclusive participation — of women, minorities, youth, and civil society — must be at the centre of the Council's engagement with Syria. France, Greece, and China similarly underscored the importance of broad participation, with China's representative adding that it "should fully respect Syria's multicultural reality."
On the humanitarian front, Indrika Ratwatte, Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, reported "encouraging signs of revival," with agricultural production improving and more Syrians returning home. Since December 2024, nearly 2 million internally displaced people and more than 1.7 million refugees have returned. However, close to 1,400 explosive-ordnance incidents have caused more than 2,400 casualties in the same period, and millions continue to struggle to access healthcare, food, clean water, education, and economic opportunity. The UN's Syria Humanitarian Fund has launched a $70 million response to address these needs.
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