The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, traveled to Syria a week after rebel forces led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTC) ousted former President Bashar al-Assad.
Responding to questions from reporters in the capital Damascus, Geir Pedersen stressed that the country had seen “enormous” changes since the fall of the Assad regime.
“This change in itself brings a lot of hope, but we all know that many challenges still lie ahead. So we have to get it right from the start,” he said.
He stressed the need to launch a political process that includes all Syrians and is “clearly led by the Syrian people”.
To maintain public order, security and service
A second challenge, he said, is ensuring the functioning of government institutions, of which service delivery, public order and security are “critically important”.
On the issue of the humanitarian crisis, he said it was necessary to ensure that Syria received “urgent increased humanitarian assistance” for its own population and all refugees wishing to return.
“This is very important,” he stressed.
End impunity and revive the economy
“We need to make sure this is resolved quickly,” said Geir Pedersen, special envoy for economic recovery.
“We hope that the sanctions will be lifted as soon as possible, so that we can truly see solidarity for the reconstruction of Syria.”
He also thinks that there should be a trial. He said, those who are committing crimes across the country should be held accountable.
Geyer Pedersen said this must be done through a credible justice system and there is no retaliation.