Head of the Middle East and North Africa Section at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mohammad Al-Nsour stressed that Syria is in dire need of reconstruction, noting that Western sanctions are negatively affecting the Syrian people.
In an interview with the Emirati website “Akhbar Alaan”, Al-Nsour said: “We welcome the recent suspension of some sanctions, but this must go hand in hand with transitional justice, as reconstruction cannot take place at the expense of accountability and justice for the victims.”
Al-Nsour explained that the United Nations has been banned from working in Syria since 2011, and was forced to work on human rights files from outside the country. Currently, there is a UN team in Damascus working with the Syrian authorities on many files, such as rebuilding institutions on human rights foundations.
Regarding the issue of Syrian refugees, Al-Nsour clatified that the United Nations is following up on this issue, and that the return of refugees from neighboring countries continues, noting that the biggest challenge lies in the Syrian government’s ability to accommodate returnees in the light of the lack of basic services.
