The Security Council held a video-conference on the situation in the Middle East (Syria) on March 30, 2020, which was chaired by the Presidency of the Council, H.E. Mr. Zhang Jun.

The members of the Security Council were briefed by Mr. Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, and Mr. Geir O. Pedersen, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria.

The members of the Security Council expressed their concern at the humanitarian situation and the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Syrian Arab Republic. They stressed the need to ensure the necessary conditions to tackle the spread of COVID-19 in Syria and called on all parties to ensure safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian assistance, including medical items, in all parts of the country and to all Syrians in need, in accordance with humanitarian principles and in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the most recent statements by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and by Special Envoy Pedersen, the members of the Security Council called on all parties to ensure a sustained period of calm throughout the country and reaffirmed the need for the full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2254 (2015).

The members of the Security Council took note of the latest developments with regard to the Syrian political process and called on all Syrian parties to engage constructively through the Constitution Committee to find a sustainable peace.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that there can be no military solution to the conflict in Syria, and that it can only be resolved through an inclusive Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process in line with Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015) under UN auspices.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria.