Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, Mr. O'Keeffe, and your team for what, in my view and in the view of the members, was an important exercise. It is a source of shame for international governments and the international community that the conflict in Syria appears to have faded from the front pages and news headlines. The exercise this afternoon was most worthwhile in updating us from the front line. I thank the representatives from SAWA for Development and Aid, GOAL, Oxfam, World Vision Ireland, Concern and Trócaire for taking the time to meet us.

I intend to propose to committee members that after this meeting we write to our colleagues in the foreign affairs and defence committees in the European Union and the UK, and also the European Parliament, and inform them of the importance of marking the tenth anniversary by renewing efforts to urge all the actors to seek to achieve political and lasting solutions. The lasting solutions will be dependent on the leadership of the international community. We will call, specifically, for support for the further renewal of UN Resolution 2533. I intend that we will do that today.

I acknowledge the leadership and the tremendous role being played by the NGO community both in Syria and in the neighbourhood, putting its own safety at risk to assist from a humanitarian perspective. In particular, I thank the speakers who joined us from Syria, Lebanon and Turkey. I wish you all well and thank you for the work you are doing for and on behalf of the people in Syria. You are doing that in the most exceptional, difficult and dangerous circumstances and we are very grateful for your efforts. We look forward to a further engagement in the future when, perhaps, the hope that Senator Martin mentioned is being realised.

I acknowledge the logistical efforts that have been made, very successfully, to make this meeting a reality, notwithstanding the Covid restrictions. I thank our team and am grateful for the logistical assistance we received in the committee to ensure your voices were heard and that our questions were dealt with in this manner.