UN: 60% of Syrians without Access to Safe Food - OCHA chief

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Topic of this video: UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock told the Security Council that around 60 per cent of the Syrian population do not have regular access to enough safe and nutritious food, with an additional 4.5 million people having fallen into this category over the last year, warning that “the increase maybe shocking, but it cannot be said to be surprising.” Speaking to the Security Council today (25 Feb) with a video link, Lowcock said “Syria’s fragile economy has suffered multiple shocks over the past 18 months. The substantia depreciation of the Syrian Pound, which lost more than three quarters of its value over the past year, has been one of the visible effects of this.” The humanitarian chief explained that while the value of the Pound dropped, prices of food and other essential items increased by more than 200 per cent. And purchasing power has dwindled substantially as a result. Average household expenses now exceed average income by an estimated 20 per cent. He stated that the result is that millions of Syrians are resorting to desperate measures to survive. Lowcock said, “more than half a million children under five in Syria suffer from stunting as a result of chronic malnutrition, according to our latest assessments. We fear this number will increase.” He continued, “these problems are visible in many parts of the country but the situation is particularly bad in the north-west and the north-east, where nutrition surveillance data show that up to one in three children in some areas suffer from stunting. That effects this will have on their development and learning will be lifelong and irreversible.” Lowcock also said that UN is continuing its efforts to conduct a first cross-line mission into northwest Syria. The aim is not to have a one-off mission, but to have regular cross-line missions that complement the ongoing cross-border operation. He noted that a new operational plan is being developed to accommodate the concerns of the relevant parties. The humanitarian chief said, “The new proposal, which is in the process of being submitted, foresees a UN aid convoy crossing frontlines, and distributing aid in Atareb with appropriate involvement from local volunteers and other relevant partners, the precise details of which and composition of whom need to be agreed. We continue to discuss this but have yet to reach an agreement with all parties concerned. And without that, we will not be able to conduct the cross-line mission. Let me be absolutely clear: the UN is ready. We have been ready for a long time. What is needed now is wider agreement so that the first mission can go ahead.”


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