Security Council resolution 2449 (2018) [on humanitarian situation in the Syrian Arab Republic and renewal of authorization of relief delivery and monitoring mechanism until 10 Jan. 2020]
Symbol: S/RES/2449 (2018)
Date: 2018-12-13
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/73 [222] SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC SITUATION
S/ X The situation in the Middle East.
Subjects: UN. Monitoring Mechanism Established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2165 (2014)|HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARMED CONFLICTS|HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE|RELIEF CORRIDORS|SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
Votes in favour: 13
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 2
Voting record:
country: BOLIVIA (PLURINATIONAL STATE OF)
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: abstention
country: CÔTE D'IVOIRE
vote: yes
country: EQUATORIAL GUINEA
vote: yes
country: ETHIOPIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: KAZAKHSTAN
vote: yes
country: KUWAIT
vote: yes
country: NETHERLANDS
vote: yes
country: PERU
vote: yes
country: POLAND
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: abstention
country: SWEDEN
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                   S/RES/2449 (2018)
               Security Council                                                  Distr.: General
                                                                                 13 December 2018




               Resolution 2449 (2018)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 8423rd meeting, on
               13 December 2018

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling its resolutions 2042 (2012), 2043 (2012), 2118 (2013), 2139 (2014),
               2165 (2014), 2175 (2014), 2191 (2014), 2209 (2015), 2235 (2015), 2254 (2015), 2258
               (2015), 2268 (2016), 2286 (2016), 2332 (2016), 2336 (2016), 2393 (2017) and 2401
               (2018) and its Presidential Statements of 3 August 2011 (S/PRST/2011/16), 21 March
               2012 (S/PRST/2012/6), 5 April 2012 (S/PRST/2012/10), 2 October 2013
               (S/PRST/2013/15), 24 April 2015 (S/PRST/2015/10) and 17 August 2015
               (S/PRST/2015/15),
                      Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and
               territorial integrity of Syria and to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the
               United Nations,
                     Expressing outrage at the unacceptable level of violence and the killing of
               hundreds of thousands of people, including tens of thousands of child casualties, as a
               result of the Syrian conflict,
                     Reiterating its grave distress at the continued devastating humanitarian situation
               in Syria and at the fact that urgent humanitarian assistance, including medical
               assistance, is required by more than 13 million people in Syria, of whom 6.2 million
               are internally displaced, including Palestine refugees, and more than 1 million people
               are still living in hard-to-reach areas,
                     Gravely concerned at the insufficient implementation of its resolutions 2139
               (2014), 2165 (2014), 2191 (2014), 2258 (2015), 2332 (2016), 2393 (2017) and 2401
               (2018) and recalling in this regard the legal obligations of all parties under
               international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as well as all the
               relevant decisions of the Security Council, including by ceasing all attacks against
               civilians and civilian objects, including those involving attacks on schools and
               medical facilities, the indiscriminate use of weapons, including artillery, barrel bombs
               and air strikes, indiscriminate shelling by mortars, car bombs, suicide attacks and
               tunnel bombs, as well as the widespread use of torture, ill -treatment, arbitrary
               executions, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, sexual and gender -based
               violence, as well as all grave violations and abuses committed against children,
                     Noting the progress made in taking back areas of Syria from the Islamic State
               in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Daesh) and Al -Nusrah Front (ANF) but




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               expressing its grave concern that areas remain under their control and about the
               negative impact of their presence, violent extremist ideology and actions on stability
               in Syria and the region, including the devastating humanitarian impact on the civilian
               populations which has led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people and
               the unlawful destruction of cultural heritage, reaffirming its resolve to address all
               aspects of the threat posed by ISIL (also known as Daesh), ANF and all other
               individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al -Qaida and other
               terrorist groups, as determined by the United Nations Security Council and as may
               further be agreed by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) and endorsed by
               the UN Security Council and calling for the full implementation of Security Council
               resolutions 2170 (2014), 2178 (2014), 2199 (2015), 2249 (2015), 2253 (2015), 2347
               (2017), 2354 (2017), 2368 (2017) and 2370 (2017),
                     Expressing grave concern also at the movement of foreign terrorist fighters and
               other terrorists and terrorist groups into and out of Syria and reiterating its call on all
               States to take steps, consistent with international law, to prevent and suppress the flow
               of foreign terrorist fighters to ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups,
               undertakings and entities associated with ISIL or Al-Qaida and other terrorist groups,
               as determined by the United Nations Security Council, and as may further be agreed
               by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) and endorsed by the UN Security
               Council,
                     Reaffirming that Member States must ensure that any measures taken to combat
               terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular
               international human rights law, international refugee law and international
               humanitarian law,
                     Reaffirming the primary responsibility of the Syrian authorities to protect the
               population in Syria and reiterating that parties to armed conflict must take all feasible
               steps to protect civilians and recalling in this regard its demand that all parties to
               armed conflict comply fully with the obligations applicable to them under
               international law related to the protection of civilians in armed conflict, including
               journalists, media professionals and associated personnel,
                     Reiterating its strong condemnation of all forms of violence and intimidation to
               which those participating in humanitarian operations are continue to be expo sed, as
               well as attacks on humanitarian convoys and acts of destruction and looting of their
               assets and its urging of all parties involved in an armed conflict to promote the safety,
               security and freedom of movement of humanitarian personnel, including med ical
               personnel and humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties and
               United Nations and its associated personnel and their assets, expressing its ongoing
               admiration at the dedication and commitment of the Syrian Red Crescent volunteers
               and other humanitarian workers operating in deeply challenging conditions and
               urging all parties to take all appropriate steps to ensure the safety and security of
               United Nations and associated personnel, those of its specialised agencies and all
               other personnel engaged in humanitarian relief activities,
                     Noting that the United Nations and their implementing partners reached on
               average 5.4 million people with humanitarian aid each month in 2018 and that life -
               saving assistance delivered across borders represented a vital part of this, including
               the delivery of food assistance for on average 1 million people every month in 2018;
               and since the start of operations in 2014, non-food items for 6 million people; health
               assistance through 25 million treatments and water and sanitation supplies for over 5
               million people,
                     Reiterating its grave concern at all instances of hindrances to the effective
               delivery of humanitarian assistance, noting that ISIL (also known as Daesh), ANF and
               all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, are

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           hindering the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance and are responsible for
           preventing aid delivery through deliberate interference and obstruction,
                Reiterating further its grave concern at the continuing impediments to the
           delivery of sustained, needs-based humanitarian assistance across the country through
           the most direct routes, including to hard-to-reach areas and across conflict lines,
                 Expressing grave concern that access to medical care continues to be severely
           restricted and reiterating the need to respect the principle of medical neutrality,
           facilitate free passage to all areas for medical personnel, equipment, transport and
           supplies, including surgical items,
                 Reaffirming the need to support the United Nations and their implementing
           partners in their efforts to expand the delivery of humanitarian assistance to reach all
           people in need in Syria and further reaffirming its decision in resolution 2165 (2014)
           that all Syrian parties to the conflict shall enable the immediate and unhindered
           delivery of humanitarian assistance directly to people throughout Syria, by the United
           Nations and their implementing partners, on the basis of United Nations ass essments
           of need and devoid of any political prejudices and aims, including by immediately
           removing all impediments to the provision of humanitarian assistance,
                 Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General of 19 June 2018 (S/2018/617)
           on the Review of the United Nations Cross-Border Operations and further taking note
           of ongoing efforts to implement the recommendations contained therein, and stressing
           the need to ensure that the delivery of humanitarian aid and services, including at the
           stage of distribution, is impartial, non-discriminatory and needs-based and that those
           most in need are beneficiaries of such aid and services, without misappropriation,
                Expressing its appreciation for the work of the United Nations monitoring
           mechanism in monitoring shipments and confirming their humanitarian nature, in
           accordance with resolutions 2165 (2014), 2191 (2014), 2258 (2015), 2332 (2016) and
           2393 (2017) and commending the mechanism’s efforts in facilitating cross-border
           delivery of humanitarian aid by the United Nations and their implementing partners,
           emphasising the importance to further robust monitoring of the humanitarian nature
           of UN relief consignments and their delivery inside Syria and encouraging the United
           Nations and their implementing partners to continue to take steps to scale up
           humanitarian deliveries throughout the country, notably into hard -to-reach areas,
                 Reiterating the need for all parties to respect and uphold the relevant provisions
           of international humanitarian law and the United Nations guiding principles of
           humanitarian emergency assistance, emphasising the importance of upholding the
           principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, in the provision of
           humanitarian assistance and recalling also the importance of humanitarian deliveries
           reaching their intended beneficiaries,
                 Noting the role that ceasefire agreements which are consistent with
           humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law can play in facilit ating
           the delivery of humanitarian assistance in order to help save civilian lives, reiterating
           its call upon all parties to respect and fulfil their commitments to existing ceasefire
           agreements, as well as the full implementation of resolution 2268 (2016) and 2401
           (2018), as a step towards a comprehensive nation-wide ceasefire and emphasising that
           humanitarian access must be part of these efforts in acco rdance with international
           humanitarian law,
                Expressing grave concern at the more than 5.6 million refugees, including more
           than 4.2 million women and children, who have fled Syria as a result of ongoing
           violence,



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                     Reiterating its deep appreciation for the significant and admirable efforts that
               have been made by the countries of the region, notably Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq
               and Egypt, to accommodate Syrian refugees and mindful of the immense costs and
               social challenges incurred by these countries as a consequence of the crisis,
                     Recalling the need to create conditions throughout the country and facilitate the
               safe, voluntary and dignified return of refugees and internally displaced persons to
               their home areas in Syria, in accordance with international la w, including applicable
               provisions of the Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, taking
               into account the interests of those countries hosting refugees,
                     Calling upon the international community to increase their assistance to Syria
               by providing additional humanitarian aid, noting with concern that the international
               response to the Syrian and regional crisis continues to fall short of meeting the needs
               as assessed by host governments and the United Nations, therefore urging once again
               all Member States, based on burden-sharing principles, to support the United Nations
               and the countries of the region, including by adopting medium and long -term
               responses to alleviate the impact on communities, providing increased, flexible and
               predictable funding as well as increasing resettlement efforts and noting the second
               conference on supporting the future of Syria and the region held in Brussels in April
               2018, co-chaired by the European Union and the United Nations,
                    Calling for humanitarian mine action to be accelerated as a matter of urgency
               throughout Syria,
                     Strongly condemning the arbitrary detention and torture of individuals in Syria,
               notably in prisons and detention facilities, as well as the kidnappings, abductions,
               hostage-taking and forced disappearances and demanding the immediate end of these
               practices and the release of all arbitrarily detained persons starting with women and
               children, as well as sick, wounded, persons with disabilities and elderly persons and
               United Nations and humanitarian personnel and journalists,
                     Noting with grave concern that impunity in Syria contributes to widespread
               violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian
               law, stressing the need to end impunity for these violations and ab uses and
               re-emphasising in this regard that those who have committed or are otherwise
               responsible for such violations and abuses in Syria must be brought to justice,
                     Emphasising that the humanitarian situation will continue to deteriorate further
               in the absence of a political solution to the Syrian conflict in line with resolution 2254
               (2015) and calling upon all parties to make progress in this regard and to undertake
               confidence-building measures and recognising the efforts by the Office of the
               UN Special Envoy and the international community, including within the Astana
               framework, to advance the early release of any arbitrarily detained persons,
               particularly women and children, and handover of the bodies as well as the
               identification of missing persons,
                    Determining that the devastating humanitarian situation in Syria continues to
               constitute a threat to peace and security in the region,
                     Underscoring that Member States are obligated under Article 25 of the Charter
               of the United Nations to accept and carry out the Council ’s decisions,
                   1.    Calls upon all parties to ensure principled, sustained and improved
               humanitarian assistance to Syria in 2019;
                     2.   Reiterates its demand that all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities,
               immediately comply with their obligations under international law, including
               international humanitarian law and international human rights law as applicable and
               further demands the full and immediate implementation of all provisions of all

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           relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 2139 (2014), 2165
           (2014), 2191 (2014), 2258 (2015), 2332 (2016), 2393 (2017) and 2401 (2018) and
           recalls that some of the violations and abuses committed in Syria may amount to war
           crimes and crimes against humanity;
                 3.   Decides to renew the decisions in paragraphs 2 and 3 of Security Council
           resolution 2165 (2014) for a further period of twelve months, that is, until 10 January
           2020;
                4.    Further demands that all parties allow safe, unimpeded and sustained
           access for United Nations’ and their implementing partners’ humanitarian convoys,
           including medical and surgical supplies, to all requested areas and populations
           according to United Nations’ assessment of need in all parts of Syria;
                 5.   Reiterates that the situation will continue to deteriorate further in the
           absence of a political solution to the Syrian conflict and recalls its demand for the
           full and immediate implementation of resolution 2254 (2015) to facilitate a Syrianled and Syrian-owned political transition, in accordance with the Geneva
           Communiqué as set forth in the ISSG Statements, in order to end the conflict in Syria
           and stresses again that the Syrian people will decide the future of Syria;
                 6.   Requests the Secretary-General to brief the Council monthly and to
           provide a report on a regular basis, at least every 60 days, on the implementation of
           resolutions 2139 (2014), 2165 (2014), 2191 (2014), 2258 (2015), 2332 (2016), 2393
           (2017), 2401 (2018) and this resolution and on compliance by all relevant parties in
           Syria and further requests the Secretary-General to continue to include in his reports
           overall trends in UN cross-line and cross-border humanitarian access and detailed
           information on the humanitarian assistance delivered through UN humanitarian cross -
           border operations as authorised by resolution 2165 (2014), including on the number
           of beneficiaries, locations of aid deliveries at district-level and the volume and nature
           of items delivered;
                7.   Reaffirms that it will take further measures under the Charter of the United
           Nations in the event of non-compliance with this resolution or resolutions 2139
           (2014), 2165 (2014) and 2191 (2014), 2258 (2015), 2332 (2016), 2393 (2017) and
           2401 (2018);
                8.    Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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