Geir Pedersen disappointed with ‘strategic stalemate’ in Syria’s political process
January 28, 2022, 5:25 pm

Geir Pedersen disappointed with ‘strategic stalemate’ in Syria’s political process

United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen/Facebook

The Asharq Al-Awsat reported, the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, briefed on Wednesday the Security Council on the latest developments in Syria and his diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.

He told the Council: “Syrians see no concrete progress towards a political solution to end the decade-long war."

“Despite the continued violence and suffering, it is also clear that a strategic stalemate does exists,” he stressed, adding that the military solution remains an “illusion.”

At the outset of his briefing, he enumerated the acts of violence in Syria in January, including the attempted jailbreak by ISIS in the Hasakeh region.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic forces say that a new insurgence and attempted escape by Daesh terrorists detained in Ghwayran prison in Al-Hasaka in conjunction with an explosion of a car bomb/Facebook page

“This episode brings back terrible memories of the prison breaks that fueled the original rise of ISIS in 2014 and 2015,” he warned, considering it “a clear message of the importance of uniting to combat the threat of internationally-proscribed terrorist groups -- and to resolve the broader conflict in which terrorism inevitably thrives.”

Jordan's army kills 27 drug smugglers trying to infiltrate border from Syria

Pedersen said the tragedy of the Syrian people is only deepening, noting that 14 million civilians now need humanitarian assistance, more than 12 million remain displaced, and many are right now facing freezing winter conditions, while tens of thousands are detained, abducted or missing.

“Education is fragmented and severely degraded – as indeed are institutions and infrastructure across the board,” he continued, adding that the country remains divided and society is deeply fractured.

Prominent figures attack Syrian government for failure to provide heating

The envoy addressed his regional and international efforts, reiterating his call for serious diplomatic discussions on a range of steps that could begin to impact the conflict dynamics, build some trust and confidence between and among Syrians and international stakeholders, and make progress step-by-step, step-for-step, within the framework of Security Council resolution 2254.

“I would hope that we can begin to identify and agree on incremental, reciprocal, mutual, realistic, precise, and verifiable steps that could be taken in parallel in areas like detainees, abductees and missing persons, humanitarian assistance and early recovery, as well as conditions for safe, dignified, and voluntary refugee returns.”

Syria defends rights record as West and Turkey accuse it of imposing 'starvation'

He expressed readiness to reconvene the Syrian-led, Syrian owned, UN-facilitated Constitutional Committee.

Pedersen lamented, the Committee’s work so far remains “disappointing.”

“The present challenge is to ensure that the delegations not only table constitutional texts but are prepared to revise them in light of the discussions, to try to find some common ground, or at least narrow differences.”

UN official describes winter conditions in Syrian refugee camps as horror scenes

He promised to continue to spare no effort to engage the Syrian government and opposition, and all sectors of Syrian society, men and women, and all key international stakeholders, in pursuit of his mandate in line with resolution 2254.

Source: aawsat

UK foreign office pledges to release Afghanistan cash after aid chief pleas Pilots say Qatar Airways monitors and muzzles employees who dare speak out

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”