Fletcher welcomes lifting sanctions on Syria and warns against a decrease in humanitarian aid.

The United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, welcomed President Donald Trump's decision to lift sanctions on Syria, considering this step as "an opportunity to steer Syria towards a development path that serves the Syrian people and the region as a whole."

In his speech at the United Nations Economic and Social Council's Humanitarian Affairs segment for 2025, held yesterday, Thursday, May 15, Fletcher emphasized the importance of the progress made in the past two days regarding the lifting of sanctions.

Furthermore, Fletcher warned of the serious repercussions of the decrease in funding from major humanitarian donors, affirming that "the long-standing consensus on saving lives and protecting civilians is eroding around us."

Over the past six months, Fletcher visited more than 20 crisis-affected countries, including Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar, and Afghanistan, witnessing firsthand the suffering of populations amid these crises.

In this context, Fletcher expressed his feelings, saying: "I have had the opportunity to see the worst of what we do to each other, but also the best of humanity."