What's on at the UN? The biggest UN humanitarian convoy in Syria

Image: © UNICEF/UN0279377
On 6 February 2019 in the Syrian Arab Republic, a humanitarian convoy traveling from Damascus arrives at the 10 km mark near Rukban where the UN and Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) have set up their temporary camp.

Late last week, the biggest UN humanitarian convoy yet to operate inside Syria successfully distributed aid to 40,000 desperate people in the hard-to-access desert camp of Rukban, near the country’s southern border with Jordan.

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for UN relief office, OCHA, said:

“It was a complex, large-scale aid operation, it’s the biggest ever carried out by the United Nations in Syria. The mission lasted nine days, it consisted of 133 trucks in total, 118 loaded with relief supplies and 15 carrying logistics support. With more than 300 staff, volunteers and commercial suppliers that took part. It took more than two months of advocacy and negotiations with all parties to ensure safe access to the Rukban site…People have been telling our teams how desperate the situation is, they are cold, hungry and lack access to most basic services. Even water is scarce.”

Daniel also tells us about a public photo exhibition to celebrate 70 years of accredited correspondents to the UN in Geneva (ACANU) that opens today and runs until 28th February, taking place at the Salle des Pas Perdus at the Palais des Nations.