Russia is concerned that the humanitarian aid delivered to Syria may be stolen or resold, as there is no mechanism for distributing this aid, Russian deputy permanent representative to the UN Dmitry Chumakov said on Wednesday.
"The aid has not reached the people, it is stored in a warehouse under the care of nameless but so-called trusted partners. We would like to understand: are these partners on the list of 80 NGOs [nongovernmental organizations] from the secretary-general's last report or not? How do we make sure that the humanitarian aid will not be stolen or sold to those in need?" he said, speaking at a UN Security Council meeting.
The diplomat welcomed the delivery of the UN humanitarian aid to the de-escalation zone in Idlib, but stressed that in the absence of a mechanism for distributing humanitarian aid to those in need, it could not be considered accomplished.
In early September, the UN humanitarian convoy delivered 150 tons of humanitarian supplies to the de-escalation zone in Idlib. The Russian and Syrian militaries ensured the convoy's safe passage.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS