Europeans visiting Syrian government-controlled areas for the first time since 2011

Officials of the European Union Mission to Syria, accompanied by figures from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, are conducting a visit, the first of its kind, to areas under the control of the Syrian government, since 2011.

Among these European officials is Dan Stoinescu, head of the mission, while on the part of the United Nations, he is accompanied by the United Nations coordinator Humanitarian Affairs in Syria, Imran Rida.

Rida wrote on Twitter on Monday, in which he appeared alongside Stoinescu on a plane, heading to the city of Aleppo.

The tweet read: “We’re heading to Aleppo with Stoitescu on a joint visit… Thanks to the World Food Program and donors to improve humanitarian access to the North and Northeast through flights”.

Rida added: “It is the first joint visit with the European Union delegation to Aleppo, Homs and Hama, since the start of the crisis.

With needs rising in Syria, it is necessary to focus on early recovery and investments, to avoid further deterioration”.

Never since 2011 have EU officials visited areas under the control of the Syrian government.

For years, the European Union has imposed sanctions on Damascus and the individuals and companies associated with it, while stressing the necessity of a political solution, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2254.

The foregoing comes after the Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister, Bashar al Jaafari, discussed with the heads of offices and missions of the United Nations agencies operating in Syria”.

Mechanisms for following up on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2642 related to the humanitarian situation in Syria.

The two sides also discussed, according to Syrian official SANA news agency, “the United Nations plans to implement projects included in the field of early recovery in Syria, especially with regard to the electricity and water sectors”.

This was followed by a “rare” phone call between the Syrian Foreign Minister, Faisal Miqdad, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, on Sunday.