President of the General Assembly,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,

Thirteen years of killing; of enforced disappearances, abductions, torture, displacement and deprivation. Thirteen years of terrible loss, and aching grief. The conflict in Syria is an open wound – for millions of Syrian people, above all, including families who long for the return of their missing loved ones, and for answers about what happened to them.

In this grim context, last year's resolution by the General Assembly to establish the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic was a landmark step forward.

The Institution is mandated to clarify the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons, and, closely linked to that, to support all victims, including survivors and family members. It will help to alleviate the suffering of people on all sides of the conflict, as it assists them to exercise their right – their profound need – to know what has happened to their loved ones.

These are fundamental conditions for supporting reconciliation, justice and lasting peace for all Syria's people. I want to emphasise this point: the Independent Institution will support all victims; and it will search for people who have gone missing on all sides – irrespective of their political affiliation, and why or when they went missing.

Since the adoption of resolution 77/301, my Office has recruited a core team of experts to staff the Independent Institution, including specialists in missing persons; gender inclusivity; victims' rights; victim and civil society participation; information management, as well as administrative roles.

Subsequent to the General Assembly's approval of the budget, which just occurred yesterday, the staff will be moving into initial premises for the Independent Institution in Geneva. Work is underway on briefing papers that will cover many of the core issues which the Independent Institution will encounter, based on feedback from our extensive consultations. They will include recommendations to design and implement search plans; to ensure full participation by victims, and a strong role for civil society; for effective gender inclusivity; support to victims and survivors through referrals; cooperation agreements; and data security.

Following the nomination and arrival of the head of the Independent Institution, which we foresee in the coming months, this preparatory work should enable the Institution to begin full operations swiftly.

Mr President,

Survivors have been deeply scarred. Following their release from detention, many – especially women – have been rejected by their communities, creating a feeling of profound alienation. Others, including people now living outside of Syria, struggle to find safety and stability. It will be of great importance to ensure that the Independent Institution can be accessed by people in many different geographic locations.

On all sides of this terrible war, families have struggled with the anguish of not knowing whether or not their relatives are even alive – an uncertainty that is both deeply traumatic, and an impediment to essential aspects of daily life.

Many of the missing are men, and in their absence, their wives, mothers and sisters are forced to overcome great difficulties to support their families. In a context of entrenched gender discrimination, these women frequently face legal barriers to obtaining custody of their children. They may not be able to obtain documents attesting to their personal status, property ownership or tenancy. Children, too, may be refused official documentation – which in effect restricts their access to education and health care. Lack of adequate documentation may even mean that women cannot travel with their own children.

Moreover, years of searching for their loved ones through unofficial and often dangerous channels may have exposed them to physical threats, extortion, exploitation, misinformation and even reprisals.

I would like to pay tribute to the years of activism of thousands of survivors, families, and civil society groups – including the extraordinary work of Syrian women's organizations – which has been crucial to supporting victims and to advocacy for this Independent Institution.

Victims and survivors will be central to every aspect of this Institution. Search and other forms of support are inextricably intertwined in its mandate, and they will be the central aims of its operations, in coordination with families and their representatives. In addition, in line with the General Assembly's call for a coordinated and efficient framework of solutions, we are reaching out to other actors working with victims and the families of missing persons, to seek their cooperation.

I echo the General Assembly’s call to all States, and to all parties to the conflict in Syria, to cooperate fully with the Independent Institution, so that it can fulfill its potentially transformative mandate. In particular, it is vital to share information and data, and to enable access to Syria and other States, as well as to facilitate processes of search, identification, assistance and support to victims. This is work that goes beyond politics. It could build confidence among Syrians – going to the heart of the principle of human solidarity, and to our unity in the face of suffering.

I thank the Assembly for its important contributions. Further details of our work to implement the recommendations of the 2022 report of the Secretary-General on Missing People in the Syrian Arab Republic are outlined in the December 2023 report on implementation of the resolution establishing the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria.

Thank you, Mr. President.