Steph, UN spokesperson, told the Security Council that Najat Roshdi, deputy special envoy for Syria, briefed members via video from Oslo on recent visits to Damascus and the need for an inclusive political transition and confidence-building measures on detainees and state services.

Steph said Lisa Daughton, director of the finance and outreach division at OCHA, reported that more than 1,200,000 refugees have returned from neighboring countries since last December, and more than 1,900,000 internally displaced people have returned but continue to need support to reestablish their lives. Daughton told council members the UN and partners reached about 3,400,000 people monthly, but the Syrian appeal is only 26% funded, forcing gaps and cuts in essential assistance.

The spokesperson said ongoing shortfalls threaten the scale and continuity of assistance needed for recovery and reintegration, and urged sustained donor support to close funding gaps.