The United Nations never stopped working behind the scenes to seek a dignified, free and just political solution, even as the fighting intensified. Here are some of the key developments in which the United Nations has achieved a just peace in Syria: 2012: Beginning of serious peace efforts Less than a year after pro-democracy protests began in March 2011, the Syrian government took violent action against them.
Those demonstrations, which started in Tunisia, were named the first Arab Spring revolution, which shook most of the Arab world. Kofi Annan (1997-2006), who was the Secretary General of the UN at that time, was given the name of the United Nations and Syria. As Joint Special Envoy to the League of Arab States, he was tasked with leading efforts to resolve the conflict. Kofi Annan developed a six-point plan that included an end to violence. It called for the cessation of hostilities, access for humanitarian agencies, the release of prisoners, the start of inclusive political dialogue, and unhindered access for the international media. In April 2012, the Security Council ratified the plan by adopting resolutions (2042 and 2043). Put it on. Under this, the United Nations Observation Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) was established, but it ended shortly after in August of the same year due to increasing civil conflict. As a result of the meeting of the Action Group for Syria in 2012, the Geneva Communiqué was published. Hui. This meeting included several countries in the Middle East and the five permanent members of the Security Council. This document, passed with the support of both the General Assembly and the Security Council, is based on Kofi Annan’s peace plan and has since been used as a joint effort for a political solution. The nation has been guiding mediation efforts. 2014: Geneva standoff In August 2012, Kofi Annan stepped down from the role of Joint Special Representative, and was replaced by senior Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi. This was the period when this conflict escalated into a full-fledged war. In January 2014, the then United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon organized an international conference known as Geneva II. After this conference, through the efforts of Lakhdar Brahimi, representatives of the Syrian government and opposition took part in a dialogue. But in the end, no agreement could be reached between the two parties. Lakhdar Brahimi postponed the talks and did not continue his assignment after May 2014. 2015: An important proposal was made to succeed Parikhdar Brahimi – another senior UN negotiator, Staffan de Mistura. Under his leadership, a major breakthrough of sorts was achieved in 2015. Following diplomatic dialogue between Russia, the United States and other key international stakeholders in 2015, to discuss a rapid end to the ongoing conflict in Syria, the International Syrian Support Group (ISG) was formed. ISSG) was established. As a result of the talks, Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015) was adopted, under which the sequence and timeline of political transition was established. This included negotiations on the establishment of a credible, inclusive and non-communal government, and the process and timeline for drafting a new constitution were decided. It also called for holding free and fair elections under the supervision of the United Nations. 2016: Tackling impunity for war crimes and atrocities Impunity, the failure to hold actors and parties responsible for atrocities, has been a hallmark of the Syrian civil war. Accountability, one of the core principles of the United Nations, has not only been a challenge for the organization but has also hindered conflict resolution efforts. The United Nations worked diligently throughout the civil war to investigate human rights violations and monitor the actions of terrorist groups: Members in the Platform’s main resolution on Syria – No. 2254 – adopted unanimously in December 2015 The countries most notably include self-proclaimed ISIL (Daesh), Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) predecessor al-Nusra Front, al Qaeda, and other terrorists in Iraq. The call to stop terrorist acts committed by groups has been reiterated. It also called on all parties to immediately deliver humanitarian assistance to those in need and to release all arbitrarily detained persons, including women and children. On 21 December 2016, an important step was taken to combat impunity. Steps were taken, and the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) was established through a resolution of the General Assembly. The IIIM was established to deal with the most serious crimes under international law, in particular To assist in the investigation and prosecution of crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. On 8 December, following news of the fall of the Assad government, the IIIM issued a statement expressing hope that Syria would eventually The people of Syria will have the opportunity to live in a country based on justice and the rule of law. The Commission said, “At the center of future discussions and efforts of the Syrian and international community, “Accountability for the untold suffering of the past 13 years must be included…Initiating efforts to end widespread impunity for almost every atrocity imaginable.”“These include the bombings of hospitals, the use of chemical weapons, systematic torture in state-run prisons, , should include all crimes such as large-scale sexual and gender-based violence and even genocide.” 2024: A New Era of Hope and Uncertainty UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced on Sunday, December 8, that “With the fall of a long-running dictatorial regime in Syria, ordinary citizens have the opportunity to move towards a stable and peaceful future But he also stressed that much work remains to revitalize Syrian institutions and bring about systemic political change. Norwegian diplomat Geir Pedersen, appointed Special Envoy of the Secretary-General in October 2018, has called for “urgent political dialogue” in Geneva to ensure a peaceful future for Syria. This dark chapter has left deep wounds. But today we welcome this new beginning with cautious hope. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of peace, reconciliation, dignity and inclusion for all Syrians. Geyer Pedersen also said that no obstacles should stand in the way of peaceful change. “Of course we know that HTS is now largely in control of the country, but it is also important to remember that they are not the only armed group in Damascus,” he said, referring to his confidential talks with the Security Council. The transition to power is fraught with uncertainties. The situation remains extremely volatile and the Special Envoy told a confidential Security Council meeting on 9 December: “There is a real opportunity for change, but the Syrian people themselves must take advantage of this opportunity.” This should be raised and supported by the United Nations and the international community.” Syria and the United Nations Syria’s population is approximately 25 million. This country, bordered by Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel, gained membership of the United Nations in 1945. Israel’s borders also include the Golan region of south-western Syria. Israel has been in possession of two-thirds of this area since 1967. In addition, Israel captured the remaining territory in December following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government in 2024. In the wake of the Yom Kippur War in 1974, the United Nations Observer Force (UNDOF) was established between Syria and Israel. This was done to maintain the ceasefire. The Security Council renews the force’s mandate every six months. The United Nations, through humanitarian relief programmes, works with more than 200 humanitarian partners to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable. It provides critical assistance to millions of people in need throughout the year. Over the past few years, the United Nations has helped build the resilience of affected communities by improving livelihood opportunities and access to basic services, especially among the most vulnerable households and communities The United Nations Syria Humanitarian Fund (SHF) was established in 2014 to address the critical gap in humanitarian response. The Fund also seeks to expand access through funded projects and responses to all areas of Syria.