EU policy with regard to UN early recovery agreements in Syria
3.5.2018
Question for written answer E-002474-18
to the Commission
Rule 130
Neena Gill (S&D) , Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D)
In its 2017 Syria strategy, the EU reiterates that it will assist in reconstruction only when a political transition is under way. It also states that it will not engage in early recovery efforts that could support social and demographic engineering by the Syrian regime.
Given the significant amounts of EU funding implemented by or in cooperation with UN agencies, the success of this policy will in part depend on the approach taken by the UN. In this regard, the reported lack of conflict sensitivity mechanisms applied by the UN in its Syria response is of significant concern, as this risks strengthening existing political structures and hampering negotiations on a political transition.
Therefore, can the Commission clarify:
- 1.Whether UN definitions for ‘reconstruction’ and ‘early recovery’ are in line with those applied by the EU;
- 2.The total amount of EU funding allocated to UN early recovery efforts in Syria and the percentage earmarked for areas under regime control;
- 3.Its assessment of the quality of conflict sensitivity mechanisms applied by the UN in Syria and the measures taken to ensure that EU funding implemented via or in cooperation with UN agencies does not contribute to social and demographic engineering by the Assad administration?