Each month, more than 2.4 million Syrians benefit from humanitarian aid delivered through Bab al-Hawa. In 2021, more than 9,500 trucks, the vast majority consisting of food aid, medicine and goods to meet other urgent needs, entered into Syria through Bab al-Hawa.

If the extension of the cross-border access was vital in 2021, it is even more critical today. The conflict in Ukraine and Syria’s worst drought in 70 years in 2021, have had a negative impact on the food security situation across the country, which is likely to exacerbate throughout 2022 and beyond. According to the UN, after eleven years of conflict, the number of Syrians dependent on humanitarian aid is at its highest level with 14.6 million people in need. In northwest Syria this number currently reaches 4.1 million, up from 3.4 million in 2021.

The extension of Resolution 2585 is also essential for the delivery of medical and surgical supplies. In northwest Syria, 70 hospitals, 186 fixed primary health centers, and 77 mobile clinics serve more than 4 million people and they are already facing huge funding gaps. Supplies and support from the UN agencies play a vital role in providing health care for local populations and internally displaced people residing in this region of Syria.

Moreover, most essential pharmaceuticals and vaccines will not be able to be procured by NGOs without UN ́s assistance.