Forging Peace in Syria: Great opportunities, grave risks

This article is published in association with United Nations.

Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime on Sunday, Syria has entered a period of profound uncertainty, and the UN will have a vital role in ensuring an orderly transition to renewed, stable institutions, continuing efforts to bring together different groups and factions which began at the outset of war in 2011.

As the fighting intensified, the UN never stopped working behind the scenes to bring about a political solution that would deliver dignity, freedom and justice for the Syrian people.

Here are some of the key developments where the UN has played a significant role towards a just peace in Syria.

2012: Peace efforts begin in earnest

Less than a year after pro-democracy protests in March 2011 (which swept much of the Arab world in what was widely referred to as the First Arab Spring) led to a violent crackdown by the Syrian authorities, former Secretary-General Kofi Annan (1997-2006) was given the task of shepherding efforts to resolve the conflict, in his capacity as Joint Special Envoy for the UN and the League of Arab States for Syria.

Mr. Annan put together a six-point plan, calling for an end to violence, access for humanitarian agencies, the release of detainees, the start of inclusive political dialogue, and unrestricted access for the international media.

The plan was endorsed by the Security Council in April 2012, with the adoption of resolutions (2042 and 2043) leading to the establishment of the short-lived UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), which came to an end in August of that year, as the civil conflict intensified.

2012 also saw the publication of the Geneva Communiqué, the outcome of a meeting of the Action Group for Syria, which included several Middle East States and the five permanent Security Council members.

The document – endorsed by both the General Assembly and the Security Council – built on Mr. Annan’s peace plan and has guided UN mediation efforts towards a political solution ever since.

UNICEF/Almohibany

Abdullah, 6, stands in front of a wall in eastern Ghouta, outside of Damascus, Syria, where he and his sister were pulled from under the rubble after it was hit during a shell.

2014: Geneva stalemate

Mr. Annan departed from his role as Joint Special Representative in August 2012, and was replaced by senior Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi, whose time in the role coincided with the escalation of the conflict into a full-blown war.

In January 2014, the then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon convened an international conference (known as Geneva II), followed by talks between representatives of the Syrian Government and opposition forces, which were facilitated by Mr. Brahimi.

Ultimately, the two sides could not come to an agreement: Brahimi suspended the negotiations and did not extend his assignment beyond May 2014.

UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

The Security Council unanimously adopts resolution 2254 on Syria negotiations (file)

2015: Adoption of a crucial resolution

A breakthrough of sorts was achieved the following year, during the mandate of Mr. Brahimi’s successor, another senior UN negotiator Staffan de Mistura.

Intense diplomatic engagement in 2015 between Russia and the US, and other key international stakeholders, resulted in the establishment of the International Syrian Support Group (ISSG), to discuss how to accelerate an end to the Syrian conflict.

The talks led to the adoption of Security Council resolution 2254 (2015), which established a sequence and timeline for a political transition, including negotiations on the establishment of a credible, inclusive, non-sectarian Government, and a process and timeline for drafting a new constitution. It also called for free and fair elections, to be held under UN supervision.

UNHCR

Saif fled to Jordan in 2014 after two years of imprisonment in Syria left him with severe physical and psychological injuries. Now he and his mother face financial ruin (file 2018)

2016: Fighting impunity for war crimes and atrocities

Impunity has been a hallmark of the Syrian conflict. It has hindered conflict resolution efforts and has challenged one of the UN’s core values – accountability.

Throughout the conflict, the United Nations has worked to investigate human rights violations and keep a watchful eye on actions by terrorist groups: resolution 2254 reiterated previous calls for Member States to suppress terrorist acts by the self-styled Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Dae’sh), Al-Nusra Front, Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups, and called on the parties involved to immediately allow humanitarian aid to reach all people in need, and to release arbitrarily detained persons, particularly women and children.

An important step in tackling impunity was taken on 21 December 2016 when the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) was established through a General Assembly resolution.

The IIIM was set up to assist in the investigation and prosecution of the most serious crimes under international law, in particular the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

On 8 December, as news of the fall of the Assad regime dominated the headlines, the IIIM released a statement expressing hope that Syrians will finally get the chance to live in a country based on justice and the rule of law.

“Accountability for the innumerable sufferings over the last 13 years should be central to future discussions and efforts of Syrians and the international community alike…to start addressing the widespread impunity for nearly every atrocity imaginable: from bombarding hospitals, the use of chemical weapons, systematic torture in Government-held prisons, widespread sexual and gender-based violence, and even genocide.”

OCHA

Explosions in Aleppo, during the fall of the Bashar al-Assaf regime in December 2024

2024: A new era of hope and uncertainty

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres declared on Sunday, 8 December, that “the fall of the dictatorial regime” presents “an historic opportunity for Syrians to build a stable and peaceful future” but underlined that there is a great deal of work to be done to ensure an orderly political transition to renewed institutions.

His Special Envoy, Norwegian diplomat Geir Pedersen – appointed to the role in October 2018 – has called for “urgent political talks” in Geneva to secure a peaceful future for Syria, and said that key players – including Iran, Russia, Türkiye and the US – have backed his appeal.

“This dark chapter has left deep scars,” Mr Pedersen told journalists on Sunday, “but today we look forward with cautious hope to the opening of a new one – one of peace, reconciliation, dignity, and inclusion for all Syrians”.

Mr. Pedersen has also said nothing must stand in the way of a peaceful transition. With de facto authorities including the HTS which spearheaded the fall of Damascus present in parts of the country, he underlined that there are many other armed groups operating within Syria.

The situation is extremely fluid and the Special Envoy underlined in his closed door briefing to the Security Council on 9 December: “There is a real opportunity for change, but this opportunity needs to be grasped by the Syrians themselves and supported by the UN and the international community.”

Syria and the UN

• Syria has a population of approximately 25 million. The country, which borders Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel, became a UN Member State in 1945.
• The border with Israel comprises the Golan region of southwest Syria. Two-thirds of the territory has been occupied by Israeli authorities since 1967, and the remainder was occupied after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024.
• The UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) was established in 1974, in the wake of the Yom Kippur conflict, to maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Syria. The mandate of the Force is renewed by the Security Council every six months.
• The UN collaborates with over 200 humanitarian partners to provide lifesaving and life-sustaining humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable people through the Humanitarian Response Plans, meeting the needs of millions of people across the year.
• Over the years, the UN has increased the resilience of affected communities by improving access to livelihood opportunities and basic services, especially among the most vulnerable households and communities.
• The UN Syria Humanitarian Fund (SHF) was established in 2014, covering critical gaps in humanitarian operations and increasing access through funding projects and response across Syria.