The appeal was made shortly after Syria's interim president signed a constitutional declaration, establishing the legal foundation for a five-year transitional period, aimed at rebuilding the country's political and legal systems.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasised that the conflict in Syria, which erupted in March 2011, is one of the most devastating conflicts in modern history, when peaceful demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad's government quickly escalated into a conflict involving multiple factions and foreign powers.
More than 500,000 Syrians have lost their lives, over 13 million people have been displaced, with approximately 6.7 million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries and elsewhere. The conflict has caused widespread destruction, reducing cities to rubble and plunging the Syrian people into a terrible humanitarian crisis.
The head of the world's largest multilateral organisation stressed that the indiscriminate killing of civilians and the destruction of hospitals, schools and homes have subjected Syrians to unimaginable hardships. As such, he called for an end to the current violence in Syria to ensure a brighter future for the country's people.
Secretary-General Guterres also expressed hope that Syria's interim government would maintain its commitment to building a new Syria based on an inclusive and credible foundation for all citizens, vigorously promote reconstruction and reconciliation, ensuring all Syrian people, regardless of ethnicity, religion, political affiliation or gender, can live in safety.
Guterres reaffirmed that the UN stands ready to work with the Syrian people and support an inclusive political transition process to promote national reconciliation and lay the groundwork for Syria's recovery and reintegration into the international community. The UN Secretary-General also called on the international community to stand with the Syrian people in their efforts to achieve a peaceful future.
Supporting the UN Secretary-General's appeal, the UN Security Council issued a statement calling on the interim government to protect all Syrian people, regardless of ethnicity or religion, and to hold accountable those responsible for mass killings.
The UN Security Council welcomed the interim Syrian government's public condemnation of violence cases and called for strengthened measures to prevent the risk of wider conflict. The statement also strongly reaffirmed the commitment to Syria's sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, calling on all countries to respect these principles and refrain from actions or interventions that could further destabilise Syria.
The UN Security Council emphasised the importance of the fight against terrorism in Syria and expressed deep concern about the direct threat from foreign terrorist fighters, and called on Syria to implement decisive measures to end this threat.
Good news for the Syrian people, as interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa approved the new constitutional declaration, establishing the legal foundation for a five-year transitional period to rebuild the country's political and legal systems.
The constitutional declaration reflects the aspiration to build a new Syria. It stipulates that the president must be Muslim and Islamic Law (Sharia) is one of the main sources of legislation.
It also protects rights to freedom of expression, press, media and publishing, guarantees constitutional property rights, and ensures equality in education and employment for women while enabling them to participate fully in economic and social life.
The constitutional declaration also mentions political and legal reforms. Specifically, parliament will be given more power, including the right to summon and question ministers, a vote of no confidence or limit the president's power.
Additionally, this document dissolves the current constitutional court, abolishes the anti-terrorism courts established by the previous government and plans to build a new judicial system during the transitional period.
Adopting the constitutional declaration is an important step in Syria's political transition process to meet the requirements for long-term stable development, towards a brighter future for the people of this Middle Eastern country.
