In Syria, and elsewhere, there is no peace without development

On Monday (17 March), leaders from around the world gather in Brussels to discuss how the international community can help address humanitarian needs and support economic recovery and reconstruction in Syria.

These are crucial conversations because the people of Syria stand at a historic moment. There has been renewed hope, after decades of brutal rule. But as last week’s events have shown, it’s also a very fragile moment. A brighter future stands at a crossroads.

The development and reconstruction of Syria — by Syrians and for all Syrians — rests on a credible and inclusive political transition. Now is the time for bold action. All violence must stop, and accountability must follow. The international community has a duty to support.

Syria remains one of the largest humanitarian and displacement crises in the world.

Over 16 million people — 7 out of 10 Syrians — require humanitarian assistance. More than half the population lacks a stable source of water, while critical infrastructure has been further affected by the hostilities during 2024. About a quarter of Syrians are living outside the country.

They need urgent and practical solutions, both to respond to their current needs, but also to lay the foundation for an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future, where all communities are integrated, and the rights of vulnerable groups are respected.

The importance of this task cannot be overstated.

Beyond the immense human suffering, displacement, and the devastation caused by the conflict inside Syria, the impacts of the last decade of war has been far-reaching, having led to tectonic shifts in the political discourse within Europe too.

The organisation that I run, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) — along with the rest of our UN family and our partners — are working to respond to needs in Syria and to adapt our work to the constantly evolving conditions.

UNOPS has remained in Syria throughout the last decade, delivering projects amid ongoing conflicts. We have been addressing some of the most critical challenges affecting the Syrian population both in Syria and within the neighbouring countries and communities hosting the Syrian refugees.

This work has been wide-ranging. We helped remove chemical weapons in 2014 and since then have been providing operational support to UN partners such as the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). We support humanitarian mine action in Syria, and we are helping rehabilitate educational and health infrastructure, providing renewable energy solutions, and procuring medical equipment and supplies.

The future of Syria is in the hands of Syrians. And the international community has a duty to support their efforts at this crucial time. Together with the European Union in Syria, and building on similar work in Myanmar, UNOPS is working to undertake an integrated response across humanitarian, development and peace sectors. Our approach is to enable the local communities and partners to access livelihood opportunities and essential services and to empower those most vulnerable to participate in decision-making processes, so there is more accountability.

So we are heavily vested in this week’s "Standing with Syria" conference, which I look forward to attending.

But the conversations on Syria also raise broader questions about the transition from humanitarian response, to recovery and reconstruction to longer-term development.

UNOPS works on all these three areas, across humanitarian, development and peace and security operations. Over half of our work takes place in fragile, and conflict-affected contexts. From Gaza to Ukraine.

From Afghanistan to Haiti. From Yemen to South Sudan and Mozambique, we help our partners respond, recover, and rebuild sustainably and equitably. From clearing mines and debris to procuring critical supplies and restoring infrastructure, we support communities to build back better.

By enabling access to essential services - water, sanitation, transport, and education - we address urgent needs while paving the way for long-term development. In the face of the climate crisis, we support our national partners to strengthen resilience and reduce disaster risks.

Because of this, we know that it is absolutely essential to bridge the gaps between emergency response, sustainable development, and long-term peace building —the so-called humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus. In other words: how do we respond to immediate needs while supporting the resilience of people affected by poverty and conflict?

These are not just rhetorical questions. I have seen their practical implications in our projects in fragile and conflict affected areas.

Last month, I visited Gaza for a second time, as part of a Middle East mission that also took me to Syria and Lebanon, among others.

In Gaza, the economic, humanitarian, development, peace and security response are so deeply and clearly interconnected.

Take one example, from rubble removal.

The scale of devastation I saw around me there was overwhelming. An estimated 50 million tons of debris and rubble generated by the conflict will take years to remove. Families returning to the remains of their homes are at high risk from unexploded weapons and contaminated rubble.

Early recovery will simply not be possible without effective rubble removal. In Gaza, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon and Ukraine, and many other places, these are efforts that my team stands ready to support.

In Ukraine, we have followed a holistic and context-sensitive approach. The situation there is an emergency, so a lot of our work is about responding to urgent needs and addressing vulnerabilities.

As we do that, we are also mindful of promoting sustainable economic and social development. Our approach is based on strong dialogue between local communities, businesses, civil society, and international partners, so we can ensure positive and lasting collective outcomes. With support from many partners, we have been powering hospitals, renovating schools, delivering rail repair equipment, refurbishing homes, and helping to reduce the threat of explosive ordnance. In dark times, we have helped to strengthen hope and build resilience that will outlast the war.

Our message is clear: investing in the nexus pays. In our deeply interconnected world, crises don’t stay contained — they ripple across borders, economies, and generations.

In an age of polycrisis, with a quarter of humanity living in places affected by conflict, our only way forward is by bringing together efforts across humanitarian, development or peace building nature.

The time to act with Syrians for a better future for Syria is now. In Syria, and beyond, we must become better at putting people ―their needs, vulnerabilities and aspirations ― at the center of our operations. So that communities can not only survive, but also thrive.