Thank you, Madam President.
Good morning, all colleagues.
As co-penholders, Brazil and Switzerland have actively and constructively engaged with all Security Council members, as well as partners in the region and other relevant stakeholders, both governmental and nongovernmental, throughout intense negotiations during the past few weeks.
We have spared no effort to try to achieve a text as consensual as possible. Throughout, we were guided solely by the urgent humanitarian needs of the Syrian people. The result of our effort is the amended draft resolution that we have put to the consideration by Council members today.
We have listened carefully to the humanitarian actors on the ground. They firmly advocate for a yearlong authorization as necessary to design and implement projects that go beyond life-saving supplies and that offer dignified solutions. Even though we support their call for a 12-month extension, the text before you provides for a 9-month renewal. It is our renewed attempt for a compromise.
The draft resolution would renew the authorization for the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing. But we also worked to help ensure that the language reflects the commitment to humanitarian assistance to all those in need in Syria, through all modalities. It includes an operative paragraph on crossline, calls for expansion of humanitarian operations, more funding, enhanced early recovery activities as well as humanitarian mine action. It also addresses the demand for the creation of conditions for safe, voluntary, informed and dignified returns.
We believe this draft resolution is a fair compromise. It represents a balance between the different positions of Council members. We are grateful to all Council members for their engagement to that end.
The adoption of a consensual draft resolution on this crucial issue would show the unity and the commitment of the Security Council with respect to humanitarian issues in general and to the needs of the Syrian people in this specific case.
We now commend the draft resolution to the Council and ask all members to support it.
Thank you, Madam President.