[Check against delivery] 

Excellencies, colleagues, friends,

It is a privilege to join you today in this important conference.

The discussions today are crucial because the people of Syria stand at a historic moment.

There has been renewed hope, after decades of brutal rule.

I witnessed this hope for a better future when I visited Syria last month.

But it is also a very fragile moment. A brighter future stands at a crossroads, as last week’s events have demonstrated.

The development and reconstruction of Syria - by Syrians and for all Syrians - rests on a credible and inclusive political transition. Now is the time for bold action. All violence must stop, and accountability must follow. And the international community has a duty to support.

Syria remains one of the largest humanitarian and displacement crises in the world.

And the impacts of this war have gone beyond the immense human suffering, displacement, and the devastation caused by the conflict inside Syria. This war has led to tectonic shifts in the political discourse within Europe too.

In the face of immense needs, Syrian people need urgent and practical solutions, both to respond to their current needs, but also to lay the foundation for an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future, where all communities are integrated, and the rights of vulnerable groups are respected.

UNOPS - along with the rest of our UN family and partners - are working to respond to needs in Syria and to adapt our work to the constantly evolving conditions.

In my meetings in Damascus with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Education, I recognized the expectations placed on UNOPS regarding its contribution to early recovery and reconstruction, particularly through our capacity for infrastructure, procurement and project management; and appreciate the significance associated with this role.

UNOPS has remained in Syria throughout the last decade, delivering projects amid ongoing conflicts. 

We have been addressing some of the most critical challenges affecting the Syrian population both in Syria and within the neighbouring countries and communities hosting the Syrian refugees.

This work has been wide-ranging. We helped remove chemical weapons in 2014, and to this day, have continued providing operational support to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

We support humanitarian mine action in Syria.

We are helping rehabilitate educational and health infrastructure, providing renewable energy solutions, and procuring medical equipment and supplies.

And in support of Syrian efforts, together with the European Union, UNOPS is working to undertake an integrated response across humanitarian, development and peace sectors.

Our approach is to enable the local communities and partners to access livelihood opportunities and essential services and to empower those most vulnerable to participate in decision-making processes, so there is more accountability.

These are crucial efforts, given the scale of needs following years of conflict. To help Syrians lay the foundations for sustainable peace and prosperity, we have an urgent responsibility to support efforts to improve education, healthcare, and livelihoods.

To the people of Syria - our message is clear: We stand with you in this historic moment.

We are committed to staying and delivering, to support a future determined by the people of Syria, that honours unity, sustainable development and human rights.