Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the barriers to the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2401 since the adoption of that resolution on 5 March 2018.

UN Security Council Resolution 2401 has still not been implemented due largely to the regime and Russia’s failure to abide by its conditions. Pro-regime forces have continued to bomb eastern Ghouta. The UN estimate that around 1,700 people have been killed there since the resolution was passed on 24 February and thousands more have been injured. The UN has reported that around 95,000 people have left eastern Ghouta. Those remaining urgently require humanitarian assistance but the UN has reported that they are still waiting for the regime to sign facilitation letters to allow them to deliver aid. Pro-regime forces have also continued to bomb Idlib and southern Syria, in and around Dar’a city, causing numerous casualties.

The UK continues to exert diplomatic pressure, including through the UN Security Council, for full implementation of UNSCR 2401. On 7 March, the Security Council discussed the situation at the UK and France’s request. On 12 March, the UK organised an informal briefing on the situation for the Security Council by Syrian opposition and humanitarian actors. The Prime Minister has spoken to President Trump, Chancellor Merkel and President Macron to discuss the appalling situation in eastern Ghouta.