The FDFA urges all parties to the Syrian conflict to implement the cessation of hostilities without delay

In view of the further intensification of the hostilities in Syria and their horrendous humanitarian consequences in Eastern Ghouta, in Idlib province and in Afrin, the FDFA calls for a rapid and effective cessation of hostilities as demanded by resolution 2401 of the United Nations Security Council. For resolution 2401 to constitute a meaningful political signal, it is indispensable that its terms translate into concrete action on Syrian territory. Switzerland therefore urges all parties to the conflict and other states active in the context of the current hostilities to commit themselves both credibly and immediately to implement resolution 2401.

The civilian population is in urgent need of humanitarian aid. Guaranteeing immediate, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access is indispensable, in particular in besieged and hard-to-reach locations.

During the urgent debate convened on Friday 2 March by the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland expressed its serious concern about the intensification of the armed conflict in Syria. It supported the decision requesting the Commission of Inquiry on Syria to consider more specifically the recent developments in Eastern Ghouta. Last month, the FDFA made contact with several of the countries concerned to express its concern about the systematic violations of international humanitarian law committed by all parties to the conflict.
   
The FDFA is pursuing its support for the peace process led by the Special Envoy of the United Nations for Syria. It is also supporting numerous local and international efforts to document violations of international humanitarian law, to enable facts to be established and justice to be rendered for all the victims of atrocities perpetrated in Syria since March 2011. In this context, Switzerland has just increased its financial support to the international, impartial and independent mechanism of the United Nations to assist in investigating and prosecuting international crimes committed in Syria, to CHF 775,000 in 2018. Since the beginning of the crisis Syria in 2011, Switzerland has deployed CHF 315 million in Syria and its neighbouring countries to help alleviate the humanitarian consequences of the conflict on the civilian population.

Address for enquiries:

Information FDFA
Bundeshaus West
CH-3003 Bern
Tel.: +41 58 462 31 53
Fax: +41 58 464 90 47
E-Mail: info@eda.admin.ch

Publisher:

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs