This month—March 2025—Syria marks the sombre milestone of 14 years of conflict, with 16.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, the majority being women and children. Yet, unlike previous commemorations, which were plagued by fear, loss and suffering, this year brings an unprecedented sense of hope for Syrians everywhere.
There is renewed talk of reconstruction, economic revitalization and diplomatic engagement with Damascus—a situation unparalleled since the start of the crisis in 2011.
The guns have fallen silent in many areas, resulting in expanded humanitarian access and a renewed sense of normalcy for civilians. As an example, Idlib is experiencing a period of calm, a stark contrast to previous years when hostilities were reported almost daily. Across the country, families and friends are experiencing tearful reunions—some that have been a decade in the making, and others that bridge former front lines.
The United Nations is adapting to the evolving reality in Syria, streamlining its complex humanitarian coordination structure that has operated across Damascus, Gaziantep, and Amman under a “Whole-of-Syria” framework. While necessary in a highly politicized conflict, this system has been bureaucratic and difficult to navigate.
With Syria entering a new phase, the United Nations aims to enhance its efficiency and agility in the country. Following consultations, the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator, Ramanathan Balakrishnan, and I have shared a vision for a more inclusive and cohesive structure: an expanded Humanitarian Country Team and a unified Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG) covering all of Syria.
To stay closer to communities, we propose a seven-hub subnational framework, led by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, to facilitate area-based coordination. Our target for transition is 30 June 2025, but with the scale of the crisis, every day matters.
Even as the country begins to emerge from the shadows of war, the humanitarian toll remains staggering. For years on end, people have grappled with cycles of poverty, hunger and uncertainty. The economy has collapsed under the weight of the conflict and sanctions. Years of relentless bombardment have reduced homes and infrastructure to nothing but rubble.
In 2025, Syria continues to constitute one of the largest displacement crises in the world, with more than 7 million people displaced inside the country and 6 million Syrian refugees in other countries. Over 2 million people still reside in 1,500 camps and informal settlements across northern Syria; an overwhelming majority are women and children, many of whom are living in worn-out tents. In the north-east, ongoing hostilities continue to threaten civilians.
There is a generation of Syrian children who have grown up knowing only war and displacement. Children and youths have missed out on an education and a safe childhood. "I should be in school, learning with my friends,” said a 13-year-old boy in Homs, “but instead, I work in the fields to help my family survive. I dream of holding a book instead of a shovel."
Over the past decades, the United Nations and its partners have made significant humanitarian strides. Our non-governmental organization partners have been the backbone of this operation, and I extend my deepest appreciation to Syrian aid workers and local responders who have been on the front line of this response. Together, we have rehabilitated homes, water stations, health facilities and schools affected by the conflict and the devastating earthquakes in 2023. We have moved camp residents out of tents and into dignified shelters in the north-west. Since 2014, more than 60,000 trucks with food, medicine and other aid provided by seven United Nations agencies have crossed into the country from Türkiye.
We are able to achieve all of this—and more—with the support of the international community. And while I see this year brimming with new opportunities for Syria, I am, in equal measure, deeply concerned by the global humanitarian financing landscape of 2025. As the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, put it, “We are underfunded, overstretched and under attack.”
Last year’s have forced aid organizations in Syria to scale back food distribution and suspend services in hospitals, mobile clinics, and safe spaces for women and girls, among other facilities. Without sustained international support, we risk missing the opportunity to alter the course of this fragile humanitarian situation and help Syria rebuild at its most pivotal moment.
The people of Syria are resilient survivors who, despite unimaginable hardship, are rebuilding their lives. They are doctors, teachers, engineers and aid workers who continue to provide essential services in the direst of conditions. They are small business owners offering glimpses of economic revival. They are parents who sacrifice eating twice a day so that their children can have more food. Their perseverance is a testament to the country’s enduring spirit.
Amid the challenges this year, the humanitarian community will not give up, just as Syrian communities have not lost hope, even in the face of unimaginable adversity. We are committed to engaging with the caretaker authorities on this path towards recovery. As affirmed by one community leader in Idlib, "We have lost so much, but we have not lost hope. As long as we stand together, we can rebuild our lives, our homes and our future."
In this new era, the story of Syria must not be one of mere survival; it must be one of justice, dignity and lasting peace. To achieve this, the country needs to transition from immediate humanitarian aid to long-term sustainable development and reconstruction by addressing the root causes of vulnerability and rebuilding resilience. In line with this vision, the United Nations in Syria launched the in November 2024, which focuses on four priority areas—health and nutrition; education; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services; and livelihoods—with access to electricity being a key enabler.
Given the new political context, the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Syria is also developing a Transitional Action Plan to provide agile, responsive and nationally aligned support as the country continues on its path towards stability, peace and development. The Transitional Action Plan is being prepared jointly by the entire UNCT. It will establish a strategic direction for UNCT engagement over the short- and medium-term, while ensuring complementarity with the and the Early Recovery Strategy.
As Syria embarks on this transformative journey, let us remember that the path to justice, dignity and lasting peace still requires our unwavering commitment and collective effort. By investing in sustainable development, we can help build a future where every Syrian can thrive.
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