IFRC-ICRC Press conference 4 March 2021

To everyone, I believe we can start this conference.

Dear presidents, dear members of the press, dear colleagues, thank you very much again.

And today, we're very proud to bring to you the President of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, Mr Khalid Ubati, the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mr Peter Mauva, and the President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Mr Francesco Rocca.

They will update you about the alarming humanitarian situation in Syria, which is entering the second decade of a relentless crisis after the President's interventions.

We will open the floor to questions.

And Please note that the conference is webcast live and is being recorded.

When asking a question, we would appreciate if you could switch off, switch on sorry, your camera, and introduce yourselves and your news outlets.

Please note that Mister Bubatti will respond to your questions in Arabic.

His answers will be translated into English consecutively.

And if some of you would like to address Mr Bubatti in Arabic, we would like to ask you to be so kind as to repeat your question in English so that everyone can follow the conversation.

Please also note that we need to close the conference at 2:50, so we need to be wary of the time.

And now, ladies and and gentlemen, without further ado, I'd like to give the floor to Mr Gubati, President of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.

Mr Gubati, over to you.

[Other language spoken]

For a decade now, people in Syria have been living in agony due to the brutal crisis excesses section economic crisis topping that with COVID-19.

If more than 13 million people in need of at least one type of assistant and about 8 million people enable to get their basic needs.

Today's basic needs like mask and sanitizers are luxury and hard to get for a lot of people in Syria.

Winter is a challenging season as it as it recently has carried disease, suffering and death.

More than 11,000,000 Syrian who use it to be food secure and now depending on humanitarian assistance.

As the food prices have increased by 236%, more than 6 million people are displayed alone with the hosting communities and internals.

They are all struggling to secure their needs for food, water, healthcare and other basic needs.

More than 12 million people are now food and secure, among them half million children saving from malnutrition.

So restricative trade in good, the closure of borders, delay of fields, activity as a shortage of the protective item needed to ensure the volunteers safety are only a handful of the obstacles that handles humanitarian response.

Syrian Arabic reticulsion volunteers provide life saving aid to more than 5 million people all around Syria each month.

For that, the need of obtaining adequate safety guarantees according to the international humanitarian law to allow humanitarians to respond in a safe environment and not to be a target responding to the people's needs.

It's a legal obligation and our volunteers are committed to to do their duties according to the Red class and the to the to the Red Class and the Red Class and movement fundamental principles.

The Syrian Arab Red Class and a member of the Red Class and the Red Class and Movement is the largest local Maitanian actor that has been working activity before the crisis and to death.

More than 13 volunteers, 13,000 volunteers and ample waist are working within the organisation and they are themselves suffering the same miserable living condition.

They are doing their best to do the Mediterranean duties and spare no effort to alleviate the people's suffering across Syria.

In Alhol Camp in Al Hasaki, where 95% of the residents are women and children, our volunteers still providing services to the residents of the camp, including running the field hospital, mobile clinics and the collective kitchen camp across Syria are built for temporary accommodation.

They are not a place to live or raise children.

This year, the heavy rains and storm have ripped on two 217,000 tenths in many seats, leaving more than 121,000 people in open air with harsh weather condition.

The IHL has stipulates that it is a situation of displacement.

All possible measures should be talking in order for the civilian to live in adequate condition of shelter, food, hygiene, health, safety and keeping the member of one family together.

In Idlib, our branch is occupied by armed groups and has led to its closure.

People are deprived of access to initial humanitarian services.

Our 12 ambulances we're talking and misses, misses it.

Our two projective kitchen were closed, Our health facility were shut down and materials were sold in the market.

Having said that, we stand ready to do our military and duties inside and outside Idlib as well as any military and corridors with full commitment to the principle of the international movement of the Red Cross and the class and societies and their guarantees that ensures the safety and protection of our volunteers.

I mean, I mean, humanitarian works and facilities should not be a target.

Your general support can help us change the bleak future of two and a half million children who are out of school and allows them to regain their right.

According by the Children Right Act, We can also preserve the dignity of 50% of the Syrians who have lost their livelihoods because of economic affiliation or COVID-19.

Therefore, we are in dire need of more resources that assure a right level continuous supplies of **** quality logistics as well as sustainable funding, which is severely Hanford because of the sanction.

It's well known that the actions, rate variation and the money adopted by donors to be transferred to our partner in Syria are facing huge challenges.

The money transfer are always delayed as the Italian project ran into difficulties of as a result no food parcel or healthcare can be delivered.

Volunteers in incentive are delayed, some get paid, some are not because it is supported by different partners.

Sanction also have an effect on importing medical equipment, suppliers and medicine also.

They are already allowed in but the companies and the suppliers are afraid of the in case they are sent them to Syria.

Even the first aid relief are aid delivery.

The Mediterranean process is stumbling due to the lack of the fuel needed for ambulance and aid trucks, power station generator for hospital and the blood banks.

This all fall under the and this section on everyone in Syria.

All that leave us in a serious crisis because we are expected to continue responding and reach every affected person.

It's life saving as a line between life and death for money.

Today more than ever before, we need more support.

[Other language spoken]

65 volunteers and employees had lost their lives in the line of duty.

They have deeply believed in their Mediterranean action and have made an example of sacrifice for humanity.

We highly appreciate the support provided by our partners who have always shared responsibility towards the most vulnerable people, the IFRC, the ICRC and the United Nations agency.

But the need are the needs are huge and now it's time to let humanity provide over politics.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much, President Bhubati.

Now I would like to hand over to President Mauro, President Laura.

Thanks a lot and colleagues.

Today we present you with a sober assessment of the conflict in Syria.

At the same time, we also want to present you with a forward perspective.

Humanitarian needs are immense and rising.

[Other language spoken]

The conflict is exacerbated by the worst economic crisis since the conflict began.

The impact of sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic have come on top of it.

Close to the 3/4 of the population now need humanitarian assistance, an increase of 20% compared to 12 months ago.

Syria is the largest operation of ICRC and the most complex operation in the world today.

Our years of experience and working with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and other movement partners have given us insights into the deep and continuous humanitarian needs, and there are enormous expectations to expand our already important and large programmes with the respective mandates and roles.

The Red Cross and Red Crescent can work in areas that are difficult to access close to communities and at the same time to advocate locally and globally for the respect of international humanitarian law.

The conflict in Syria has been a defining part of my personal time as president of ICRC and has shaped the way humanitarian action is looked at around the world.

Syria is the context I have visited most often.

I have had moving experiences from standing in the middle of destroyed homes to talking to armed actors on the front lines and listening to the men, women and children suffering from the impact of war.

The farm conflict has been characterised by irregular breaches of international humanitarian law, disproportionate attacks in urban areas and the targeting of civilians and civilian services like ambulances, water stations and markets.

There are other conflict situation in the world where we see IHL violations and the civilian toll, but it is the level of destruction in Syria over the years that makes this extraordinary place.

The flattened cities, the number of doses placed and disappearing.

On a visit earlier into the crisis, I was shocked by how the taboos protecting life and dignity were broken.

[Other language spoken]

The first touch clinic I saw in Mahavirmiya in eastern Huta was an early and concerning indication that attacks on hospitals was no longer considered a taboo.

Humanitarian aid has been blocked and staff put in danger, and I pay tribute to the humanitarian workers killed who were kidnapped, who have lost family members and had their lives uprooted by this conflict.

As President Abubaki mentioned, 65 Sark staff and volunteers and eight people from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society Syria branch were killed and many more injured and detained.

Together with their families.

We continue to seek information about the fate of our ICRC colleagues who have been missing in Syria since October 20, 1310.

Years on, my on my fear is that the international community rights of Syria as an intractable political problem and moves on to the next crisis, leaving few solutions for the millions of lives in ruin.

It is obvious civilians are paying the price of the lack of political breakthrough, but also the transactional approach to humanitarian action that all parties in that conflict have taken.

People should not live in tents, relying on water, on water trucks, on food handouts, or for months, let alone years, let alone a decade.

While fighting continues in some parts, we need to help people rebuild their lives.

The call on international community is urgent for resources and the call to all parties and all sides involved to rethink and change their approach to the Syrian conflict.

International humanitarian law has been drafted as a pragmatic tool to assist and protect civilians despite political blockages.

We need to find ways to rehabilitate critical services to ensure at least minimal support for civilians.

There is no point in lengthy debates on humanitarian development Nexus in international FORA when bridging emergency and long term action is declared inapplicable and inoperable in Syria.

To start with, a more generous definition of humanitarian action is badly necessary.

We have to ensure that children can go to school, youth get a perspective for the future, that adults can earn an income, that hospitals can treat the sick and injured, that respect for the people's rights is upheld.

We need a concrete humanitarian demining plan for Syria and being able to implement.

ICRC is rehabilitating water, electricity and health system across the country.

We are supporting small businesses.

Our priority is to bring humanitarian relief where it's most needed to make life as bearable as possible.

We need to be able to speed and scale livelihood activities.

The whole fabric of society needs to be repaired.

Syrians will need to reconcile to prevent future conflicts.

This will be possible only if the rights are upheld.

Detainees, returning ID, PS and refugees, fighters and their families, including foreigners searching for missing people and responding to the needs of their families is crucial and urgent.

10s of thousands of family wait for news, their pain last decades and prevent societies from reconciling.

As well, families suffer deep economic, administrative, legal burdens that can marginalised or force them to destitution.

Critically, detainees must be treated humanely and with dignity.

They must be allowed to maintain links with their families and have some perspective to return home.

The ICRC continues to visit the number of prisons in Syria.

We are in constant discussion with authorities, conducted with our usual confidentiality, aimed at helping to improve conditions of detention and allowing families to maintain contact.

It is clear Syria is a deadly spiral of IS, a deadly spiral of warfare, economic downturn, pandemic and sanctions which must be countered by concrete responses and pragmatic steps on each of the issues I have mentioned.

The international community can't turn away from Syria.

It's people need a political solution and the conflict, ongoing financial support for the recovery, a future for those without hope.

ICRC offers it's Technical Support for this process.

Syrians cannot afford to endure another year like this, like another 10 years.

Thank you, Thank you very much President Maura.

I would now like to give the floor to Mr to President Rocca.

Thanks Anne and good afternoon everyone and thank you to all the journalists who joined us today.

We believe that it was critical to organise this press briefing to highlight again that vulnerable Syrians now more than ever need our help and our support.

And even if Syria is unfortunately not anymore a top, news needs are growing.

And as we already heard from both Dark and ICRC presidents, and the suffering of Syrians is getting worse every single day.

10 years after the start of conflict, the people in Syria are faced with the multitude of crises, continuous hostilities, complete economic breakdown and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now infrastructure across the country is ruined.

People are unable to cover the most basic needs because of serious shortages of food, water, fuel, medicines, among other supplies.

They are more dependent on aid today than they were five years ago, and millions of Syrians were oneself sufficient.

Now they rely only on humanitarian assistance and face a serious food crisis.

And some words used by Sark President Strachan.

For most Syrians, worrying about COVID-19 is a luxury they cannot afford.

And can you really imagine what does it mean?

There are many places where keeping physical distance of wearing a mask is not a matter of personal choice, like here in Europe.

That is only simply impossible.

And this is so something that I saw it also a few weeks ago in the in Tigrai in Ethiopia and a very similar situation.

And we heard the words of President Puberti about Syria.

Now most people cannot afford to protect themselves.

They cannot isolate themselves at home or otherwise the food would be on the table.

Even if they go, they get contaminated by the virus.

The health system has been battled so severely that access to treatment and care is very limited.

And the lack of fuel means that there are no ambulances to bring patients to hospitals and no liquidity for hospitals to operate and no ventilators to treat those who are severely affected.

Without power, it is impossible to safely store blood or if, when and they well the vaccines.

And in this difficult environment, our Syrian Arab Red Crescent teams have supported more than 2 million people with COVID-19 related activities such as awareness raising, session hygiene, kids, psychosocial support and healthcare support when is available.

This year of pandemic highlighted more than ever the critical role of local actors.

And as our Syrian volunteers in the last 10 years, Star Teams has always been at the forefront of every single emergency in every part of the country.

They have been the sign of open protection for millions of Syrians.

They have wrote some smiles and peace to millions of children.

They have provided psychosocial support, they have been the key to access hard to reach areas and there have been many times in Syria.

I remember also my first official visit after being elected as IFOC president.

And every time I was so struck by by the the commitment of the Syrian volunteers.

And I felt always very proud for the level of engagement of all the women and men dedicating their life to serve those in need in Syria.

And I have two memories about this.

The first one when we were able together with President Abubadi to evacuate kids and wounded from the time the under Sigaria of Eastern Bhuta.

And then thanks to the President Bubadi and the Sark, when we were able to repatriate a kid from Alok camp to Italy, bringing him back to his family and showing that if there is a political will, repatriation operations are possible.

And this was at that time a strong call to all the Western countries that have left their children in Alok camp.

Both missions were successful thanks to Sark.

They are trusted by all parties, they are present and respected in the communities, they know the needs of the most vulnerable, they are always ready to intervene when it's needed.

Without self volunteers nothing would have been possible and they are putting humanity, neutrality and independence at the core of every action.

And dramatically, they also pay together with the Palestine Red Crescent, working in Palestinian camps in Syria, the **** risk of you with 73 Red Crescent volunteers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

And this is unacceptable.

And we will always raise our voice, asking to all the parties to respect and protect our teams, health facilities, health workers, self volunteers are an example for all of us and they are the icon of our principles.

They always have been a source of inspiration in my daily life as a volunteer in the Red Cross with present family.

And before ending, let me speak about our activities and our asks.

At the IFSC, we strongly support the localization agenda of humanitarian aid and we call on partners and donors to fund and support our national society and our volunteers.

We are in Syria supporting Sark activities and we will continue to do so.

And we have a moral duty to support the sustainability of the Syrian Arab the Present and invest in the organisation that is so integral to delivery of the international community support.

Without SIRT, millions more would go angry every more.

Now more than ever, Syrians need our solidarity and support.

Over the past decade, there has been tremendous generosity and solidarity in the form of aid funding.

Unfortunately, today we see that donations are declining, whereas the humanitarian crisis worsens.

Everyday funding for Syria is needed more than ever to ensure Syrians can cover their basic needs and maintain a life in dignity.

Investments to rebuild destroyed infrastructure such as water and sanitation and networks, roads and schools that are desperately needed in Syria.

We are running different activities like having food parcel always ready to be used by such teams whenever there is a need.

Our flexibility and ability to direct resources towards a sudden emergency is very much needed in the Syrian context and we are supporting such largest cash support activities for nearly 20,000 family.

In assumptions and inflation contest, where suppliers can guarantee prices for more than a few weeks, this is a game changer.

Furthermore, while remaining focused on life saving interventions, we are moving toward ensuring the longer term impacts of our action, working on livelihoods, for example, by giving farmers the ability to restart their flocks with pregnant sheep or by organising vocational trainings.

We have trained tailors in homes, carpet manufacturing in rural Damascus, **** dresses and electricians in Aleppo, and woodwork in Damascus.

And this is just to mention a few, and these are just some examples.

But to continue our work, we will need support from donors and partners and we need more flexible and unconditional funding.

As one of my colleagues in Damascus told us, COVID-19 has put a blanket over the city intervention.

[Other language spoken]

They are in physical solidarity with the people they assist.

And the international community must not forget vulnerable Syrians and their huge needs.

After 10 years of suffering, political leaders must find political solution to the crisis, and the war must help Syrians to finally restart their lives.

We will not leave them alone, but we need support to do it.

It is a matter of dignity and a matter of saving life.

Syrians must not be left alone.

Thank you very much.

Now I'm at your disposal for any questions.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much indeed to the three of you.

[Other language spoken]

We have now got 20 minutes, a bit more to take questions from the press.

[Other language spoken]

And please again introduce yourselves and your media outlets.

Have a question, please, Jan and Nina afterwards.

Yes, thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

I'm working for the German Press Agency.

[Other language spoken]

Syria is always reporting numbers of new corona cases in the country, but compared to other countries, they are rather low.

But still, some people say that there's a **** number of unreported cases in Syria.

Could you give us an idea about how the situation, the corona situation and the number of corona cases and COVID-19 cases really looks like in Syria, please?

I'll say it ministry in Napier, Syria, I want to update the as middle corona COVID-19 can man can he test the Yeah Dali hospital coronary with PCR Oshi can then after the case here, we'll show that mojo.

They will **** alum in the PCR mana.

[Other language spoken]

But CAFE is about Corona and for once I heard Oh yes, about that area and it we added had CAFE how to **** dwelly.

And then they didn't forget how to, they didn't, of course, since the beginning of the crisis of COVID-19, where it is not possible, of course, in Syria to test all everybody concerning of course, PCR, it is not possible.

So there's total shortage of PCR kits.

For example, we don't get enough kits, we don't get enough PCR kits to test everybody.

So what is there available in all the world is not is unfortunately not available in Syria.

So we it is not possible in this case because there are infections, but we cannot know without the PCR kits and tests to know whether it is severe flu or maybe pneumonia or maybe COVID-19.

So this is not possible.

So we cannot really know the numbers exactly.

But of course this is one of the reasons why SARC was very much concerned really with support from the partners from the International Movement of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent to really try to discuss together what we should do in this case.

So on our start as SARC, we established a little hospital with two floors for COVID cases.

There are 35 beds.

This is in fact what we wanted to do.

There are infections, as I said, but not necessarily COVID-19.

We cannot know, of course, whether it is COVID-19 always in each infection or maybe severe flu because of lack of PCR case.

Thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

Nina, thank you very much for taking my question.

Nina Larsen, AFPI wanted to ask about the situation of detainees in Syria.

I was wondering if you have an estimate of how many people are still detained, how many are missing and, and how negotiations are going on trying to to arrange for for exchanges and also find out what has happened to the missing and if IICRC has access to places of detention of all parties.

And if I may, just one other question for President Hubuti.

There were some horrific reports from all whole camp, including that over 30.

There have been over 30 murders there since the beginning of this year.

I was hoping you could say a little bit more about the conditions that your volunteers are seeing inside the camp.

MSF has has decided to halt its operations.

Is that something that you're also considering?

[Other language spoken]

As I briefly alluded to, ICRC has access to those who have been convicted in regular detention facilities in Syria and we visit regularly and engage with the authorities on this group of detainees.

We don't have access to those in other places of detention on this or the other side of front lines in Syria.

But we are trying to have access to those detention facilities.

And we are engaged in multiple bilateral and multilateral FORA, including the Astana process in order to advance consensus around missing people about around access to detainees and enlarging our scope of activities with regard to the regular detainees.

We have an idea what numbers are with regard to those we don't visit, we don't.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much, President Maura.

The second part of the question I would like to allocate to President Huberti, please.

[Other language spoken]

Of course, our response in alcohol camp has been going on for two years now.

We have established a hospital there.

Of course, the operation of the hospital is supported by ICRC and of course, the funding comes also from an NGO.

At the same time, in fact, despite all the difficulties, we continuously distribute water in this, in this case.

And there is of course, there are people here who help us in this case, just for the success of our humanitarian response and work.

We cannot intervene always in everything happening there in an hold camp.

So for example, for instance, a few days ago there was a fire and of course, because of a wedding, certain wedding where the people maybe forgot something on fire and the fire happened.

We could not interfere.

We don't have the capacity here to interfere, we cannot.

But of course, what we can do is in fact, he waves people to hospitals.

In this case, we can help.

So in fact, the capacities that we have are supported always by the international movement of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent.

We have these capacities, but we cannot always intervene in everything happening there in Alholcan.

[Other language spoken]

Thanks a lot for this answer.

I would now like to give Lauren, CEO from 80s Keystone the opportunity to ask a question.

[Other language spoken]

And also Swiss news agency, your question to President Mauer, what is the effect on of the pandemic on the discussions about repatriation from a whole camp?

You have the the feeling that it might either deteriorate or improve the prospect for such repatriations.

And then Anne, if I if I may, because I think it's important that if we have time for it, as we have both President, if President Maurer could also tell us whether ICRC had an access to detainees in Myanmar.

And if President Roka could tell us if some staff and volunteers of the National Society in in Myanmar have been threatened or beaten by the police as we have seen footages from health workers beaten by the police.

[Other language spoken]

I would suggest, Laurent, that we focus on Syria since we have so little time.

We can see about your other question, maybe one-on-one afterwards with me, if that's OK.

So I think the first part of the question goes to President Buhbati, not President or rather President Maura.

Thanks a lot for the question.

As in many other parts of the world, COVID-19 is a complicating factor in moving people.

But let me just share my appreciation that at the present moment when we look at all the complications of repatriation either of Syrians and the Iraqis to their home from a whole camp or on families of foreigners in alcohol, the COVID-19 is not the predominant complication.

We had even before COVID-19, huge difficulties of having acceptance from state of taking back their nationals.

You know that there are security concerns, there are other concerns.

There are complicated negotiations taking place between countries of origins of nationals in alcohol and in other camps in the North East of Syria.

And a lot of these complications have just been exacerbated by COVID-19, which comes as a handy excuse to further delay what we have advocated all of us in common, that countries make all efforts that they can to take back the nationals either and to adjudicate them according to due process of law.

Thank you very much.

President Mora, I see that Nina Larson from EFP has another question.

Nina, over to you.

[Other language spoken]

OK, Sorry, my computer said I was muted.

So I just want to follow up with you, President Mauer, because I, I think before, unless I missed it, you said you knew what the figures were in, in the official detention centres, but I didn't hear the figure.

And also, if you have any estimate of how many people are missing and if you have any guess at how many might be in the unofficial detention centres, that would be helpful.

[Other language spoken]

Yeah, Nina, I asked for your comprehension.

We don't talk about the figures.

[Other language spoken]

Very global accrued numbers and figures of detainees that we are visiting and for estimates, I don't want to speculate about the estimates of missing people because our accesses today are too sketchy and our information is too incomplete to even speculate on those missing.

I think we need, what we badly need is a political consensus that we can start bringing those figures together.

But I don't want to speculate here on numbers.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much.

Are there any other questions from the members of the press?

[Other language spoken]

Thanks for taking my question.

And we're 10 years down the road in this war.

We've had a lot of peace talks and nothing seems to be going anywhere.

So I'd ask to like the 2 presidents from the IFRC and the ICRC if they think that in five years time something can be done to undo this logjam.

President Rocca, would you maybe like to take his question and anybody else who wants to jump in afterwards?

President Mara or Gubbati, feel free.

[Other language spoken]

No, I can I think that my one can only be an A rhetorical one as humanitarian, of course.

So we are optimistic.

So we do hope that a solution can, can be be found in, in, in five years, of course.

But more, more than this, we, we would like a different political approach from the international community.

What we talked and what we learned on the ground in Syria during these years was about access, was about protecting lives.

It was about dignity of the civilians affected by by by the conflict.

And this is the step forward that it would like to see for granted once for all.

Then as humanitarian, I, I leave to others the negotiation about peace and, and, and political solution for, for, for Syria that they are not up to me.

But this is my, my hope.

So to have to have this access granted for the for the humanitarian workers and respect for the humanitarian workers.

I think we will discuss about Syria case for years to come in terms of violation of IHL, suffering of the civilians, the use of the civilians in the in the conflict as a as a weapon.

And this is something that I hope I won't be repeated that not only in Syria, but anywhere in the world.

Thank you, President Roca, President Maura, would you like to give you more words?

[Other language spoken]

I just wanted to emphasise, and once again, maybe even clearer than I made in my introductory statement frame, what the real issue for humanitarians is that there's a political issue which has to be solved politically by political actors.

But what humanitarians can do with the support also of donors in the international community is enlarging the space of solving some of the intrinsic humanitarian problem with which the Syrian society is confronted, stabilising the lives and livelihoods of people, clarifying the destiny of the missing.

I have responded very in a very fragmentary way to the questions beforehand.

That's because there is not yet political consensus on humanitarian issues, and I think the next one to three years must lead to a change in how the international community approaches key humanitarian issues in the Syrian context so that we can stabilise lives, we can contribute to trust building with classical humanitarian issues, and many other places in the world have shown that this is possible.

In short time.

We can imagine exchanges of detainees and liberations of those who have been detained in the context of hostilities.

We can imagine clarifications of the whereabouts of missing people, we can imagine exchanges of dead bodies and identification of dead bodies, we can imagine reunifications of families.

We can imagine a lot of things which are classical humanitarian issues and contribute at the same time to trust building in the Syrian society as well as amongst the international community.

And this needs to be done urgently in order to prepare the ground for more fruitful and for more in depth political negotiations as well.

But these negotiations, as Francesco has mentioned, very clearly has to be part of a political negotiations and are not part of what humanitarians can do.

Thank you very much, President Maura.

We have another 5 minutes.

And I'm told that President Mubati would like to say a few words announced with the same question.

And then I have a question from Reuters.

[Other language spoken]

Yes, this one, Salaam.

Of course here we always hope for peace and we do not hope for like 5 years more of the war.

So we hope for peace and in fact we cannot predict of course what will happen, but we always hope for peace so that Syrians can live in peace and security and have can have backed their lives.

Again, if you look at the children in Syria since the war started, some children were only four years old.

Now some of them are 14, 15 years old and they have been deprived in some areas of getting their education.

They can't even write their names.

So this this means that not attending school means that you have a generation, unfortunately, who will be a very difficult generation.

So we really hope always that war will end and that peace will prevail again in Syria.

Thank you very much.

I would like to give Stephanie neighbourhood from Reuters the opportunity to ask a question.

Stephanie, thanks very much.

I've had my hand up for quite a while.

So I wanted to revert, please, to Peter Mauer and ask him again or any of the speakers really, whether you see the Biden administration bringing any, you know, impulse to talks parallel to or with the Astana partners in terms of the missing file, that the detained and missing file.

Do you have any hopes or context on that front with the new administration?

Thanks, President.

Laura, you know that when a new administration come in, comes in, new priorities are set, policies are reviewed.

And at the present moment, it's too early to exactly speculate about the impact of the new administration in Washington on the situation in Syria, on the Middle East at large, But definitely for the ICRC, the clarification of the destiny of missing people and the legitimate questions that you bring forward today in this press conference.

Let me just be very clear.

It's legitimate to ask about the numbers, the destinies, the policies.

This is very much that's top priority of the ICRC in the Syrian conflict, because we do believe that the lack of information on missing people is one of the very big obstacles to reconciliation in the Syrian society and to moving forward with more ambitious peace negotiations.

Thank you very much President Marin.

I think with these words we need to close this conference as I'm told that some of you have to go to previous commitments.

Thank you very much to everyone for participating in this very important event.

[Other language spoken]

President Bubatti, would you like to have a last comment?

No, thank you very much for participating in this event.

A press release will be distributed soon and we can take some one-on-one questions afterwards if there is an urgent need.

Thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]