DAMASCUS, (SANA) – The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valery Amos, called upon all parties in Syria to exert more efforts for the protection of civilians, particularly after what she said the escalation of violence.

Speaking in a press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel, Amos underlined the impact of the crisis on the economy and the livelihood of the people in Syria as there are large numbers of people who need urgent humanitarian aid.

Concluding its visit to Damascus, the UN official added that during her visit to the people who are temporarily staying in some public buildings and schools in Damascus she found that these families need more health and food assistance, calling for finding appropriate solutions so as to allow schools to open their doors normally in September.

Amos said that the aid provided by the UN and its partners are not enough, indicating the decline in funding. She noted that there are 8 international humanitarian organizations currently working on the Syrian territories and providing their humanitarian aid after having obtained the approval of the Syrian government.

She added that there are other humanitarian organizations which are ready to provide aid and are waiting for the permission of the Syrian government to establish offices in Syria.

Answering the journalists, Amos said that the talks with the Syrian government focused on a number of issues regarding increasing the capabilities of the UN organizations on the ground, the government's procedures to meet the citizens' needs, particularly the displaced.

She added that the discussion also focused on the impact of violence on the infrastructure in the country, the measure taken by the government to rehabilitate damaged infrastructures and the difficulties facing delivering aid to insecure areas.

Amos said that it is very important that the humanitarian aid not be politicized and any help be provided independently, stressing the need to deliver aid to everybody anywhere on the Syrian territories.

She highlighted the Syrian government's fears that the humanitarian aid might end up in the hands of the armed terrorist groups.

R. Raslan/ H. Said