EU Statement – UN General Assembly: Prevention of armed conflict

EU Statement - UN General Assembly: Prevention of armed conflict

15 April 2026, New York - Statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States by H.E. Ambassador Hedda Samson, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, at the United Nations General Assembly on Item 31 (a): Prevention of armed conflict

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President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, as well as Armenia, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the United Kingdom align themselves with this statement.

The fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 marked a historic turning point, renewing hope for justice and accountability in Syria.

In this context, the work of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria (the Mechanism) remains crucial, as emphasised by the General Assembly last December in its resolution on the situation of human rights in in the Syrian Arab Republic (RES/80/224).

We thank the Head of the Mechanism, Mr. Robert Petit, for his leadership and we welcome the Mechanism's twelfth report to the General Assembly outlining the important advances made over the past year.

We are pleased to read in the report that after the Head of the Mechanism's initial mission to Damascus on 21 December 2024, the first in over a decade, near-monthly visits took place throughout 2025 and early 2026, which enabled continuous dialogue with the new Syrian authorities. The EU welcomes such constructive cooperation and dialogue and calls on the Syrian transitional authorities to formalise it by granting the Mechanism an official presence in Syria, in line with its mandate.

We acknowledge the Mechanism's efforts to expand its central repository of evidence, with 96 new evidence properties processed in 2025, as well as the 107 new requests for assistance received by the Mechanism during the reporting period, bringing the total to 544 requests from 17 competent jurisdictions. The breadth of activities and the continued increase in requests for assistance confirms once again the important role the Mechanism plays in the pursuit of accountability.

The EU particularly commends the Mechanism's commitment to inclusive justice, notably through its victim and survivor-centred approach, as well as efforts to integrate a child and youth perspective into its work. We also note the implementation of the Mechanism's gender strategy and action plan. The Mechanism's cooperation and consultation with affected community civil society actors, including victims and survivor associations, ensures that their voices and priorities guide its efforts.

We also acknowledge the contribution of the Mechanism to clarifying the fate and whereabouts of missing persons in Syria. In this regard, we note the Memorandum of Understanding between the Mechanism and the Independent Institution on Missing Persons.

More broadly, we underline the importance of ensuring cooperation among international mechanisms and between international and national mechanisms, namely the National Commissions for Transitional Justice and for Missing Persons.

All these achievements are all the more remarkable given the concerning persistent resource constraints facing the Mechanism.

The Mechanism's regular budget continues to be insufficient, which risks undermining its ability to preserve evidence, support ongoing prosecutions, and engage effectively with Syrian institutions and civil society.

The EU and its Member States will continue to do their part. The EU remains a staunch supporter of the Mechanism, both politically and financially, having allocated EUR 3 million for the period 2025-2026.

In this critical juncture, we call on all States to increase financial support to the Mechanism through both the regular budget and voluntary contributions, ensuring it has the resources necessary to fulfil its mandate and meet the growing demands for assistance.

President,

The EU is committed to supporting a peaceful and inclusive transition in Syria, upholding the human rights of all Syrians without discrimination of any kind, including based on gender, ethnicity, or religion. We also support the country's recovery and reconstruction. To that end, the EU lifted all economic restrictive measures on Syria as early as May 2025, with the exception of those based on security grounds, and of the individual measures on Assad and his accomplices.

Accountability and justice for victims are key for the success of these processes and essential for a stable and peaceful Syria.

The EU is at the forefront of the fight against impunity in Syria. We will continue supporting the Mechanism, as well as the Commission of Inquiry and the Independent Institution on Missing Persons.

As Syria advances on its transition, the international community must stand united in its commitment to justice, accountability, and the rights of victims and survivors, and must ensure that the Mechanism has the necessary resources and tools to carry out its crucial work.

Thank you.

1. ^North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.