Five years of human suffering – Syria in the spotlight at the Annual Conference of Humanitarian Aid

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Bern, 18.03.2016 - A fragile ceasefire and the Geneva peace talks are signs of hope. But the crisis in Syria is far from over. The war there has been raging for exactly five years now: countless people have been plunged into misery and suffering. Their story, and Switzerland’s humanitarian response to the conflict, were the topic of the Annual Conference of Humanitarian Aid and the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA). In the presence of Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, experts discussed various aspects of the crisis and described their experiences in the conflict-affected area.

Five years on from the outbreak of the war, what progress has been made? How can Switzerland help those who are suffering? Is there any hope of a political solution? And what is the situation as regards other humanitarian crises aside from that in Syria? These were the key issues addressed at the Annual Conference of Humanitarian Aid and the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) held at the Parkarena Convention Centre in Oberwinterthur.

Federal Councillor and head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) Didier Burkhalter has visited the war-torn region. In his address, he spoke of the extent of the tragedy in Syria and recounted the stories of those he had met there. However, Mr Burkhalter underscored the fact that the security both of Switzerland and of Europe as a whole was closely connected with the situation in the Middle East and the Mediterranean: “It is imperative, from both a humanitarian and political standpoint, that Switzerland plays an active role in international efforts to end the crisis in Syria and to stabilise the region”. He also pointed out that instability, the refugee crisis and the need to combat terrorism required a joint approach. He recalled Switzerland’s humanitarian commitment to the Syrian crisis: since the outbreak of hostilities, Switzerland has provided CHF 250 million to help support humanitarian aid in Syria and its neighbouring countries. In 2016, a further CHF 50 million at least is to be channelled into the region. In particular, Switzerland supports the work of the ICRC, UN organisations and NGOs implementing humanitarian projects in Syria and neighbouring countries.

Mr Burkhalter also noted that the emergency aid provided by Switzerland was crucial and gave people hope. However, after five years of war Switzerland needed to use its various instruments to invest in longer term measures to improve the future prospects of people in the region. Switzerland could be most effective, he said, by coordinating and interlinking its humanitarian aid, development cooperation and commitment to achieving peace and security. The Dispatch on Switzerland’s International Cooperation for 2017-2020 was also committed to a comprehensive and coordinated approach. With its focus on efficiency, coherence and a lasting impact, this new Dispatch presented a genuine opportunity for Switzerland.

Mr Burkhalter went on to cite how various international cooperation instruments had contributed to efforts to resolve the situation in Syria and its neighbouring countries. In this connection, he emphasised the importance of reaching a political solution to the crisis in Syria. Genuine peace talks were, in his view, ultimately the only way to alleviate the humanitarian suffering and to enable the country to regain political stability. Accordingly, he confirmed that Switzerland would continue to support the UN’s peace-talks process in Geneva.

In his opening speech, Manuel Bessler, Federal Council Delegate for Humanitarian Aid, set out the challenges facing aid workers in Syria and other conflict-affected areas, such as, for example, the difficulties they encounter in trying to reach those in need. Mr Bessler also highlighted the huge gulf between the assistance required by the international community to get to grips with the crisis and the actual contributions being made by donor countries: so far, only 40% of the funds required in Syria have actually been provided.

A member of SHA working in Greece and Annemarie Huber-Holz, President of the Swiss Red Cross (SRC), talked about the plight of refugees fleeing the region, the work being done to protect them and advocacy efforts to safeguard their rights and fulfil their needs. The SRC President also called for solidarity with those in distress, citing Henry Dunant’s efforts to engage all actors involved, regardless of their affiliation, in helping to alleviate suffering. The “Tutti Fratelli” (“All men are brothers”) principle as it became known remained, she said, a humanitarian obligation.

In his address, Manuel Sager, Director-General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), recalled forgotten conflicts and reiterated the need for protective measures, for example in Congo, Colombia and Afghanistan. He reaffirmed that Switzerland would continue to address the needs of people who were suffering, even when the television cameras’ focus had shifted. He thanked conference participants and aid workers present for their dedication and continued efforts to alleviate suffering. He added: “I thank you for being here today and giving us the courage and determination to press ahead with our work.”

The conference concluded with a framework programme. In a panel discussion, Carla Del Ponte, member of the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria, Prof. Reinhard Schulze, Director of the University of Bern’s Institute for Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, and Manuel Bessler talked about the principles underpinning Switzerland’s commitment in the crisis region. Experts also talked about survival in Syria and described the daily lives of humanitarian aid workers in Damascus.

Over 900 participants attended the conference in Oberwinterthur, including several national councillors, Mr Elhadj As Sy, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), 35 representatives of foreign embassies, Felix Gutzwiller, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on International Cooperation, and 14 representatives of the host city and of the canton of Zurich.

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