Mr President,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia^*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^* and Georgia, as well as Andorra, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

We welcome today's important debate on the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria (IIIM)underlining the continued principled commitment by UN member states towards justice for the most serious crimes committed in Syria.

We would like to thank the head of the IIIM, Ms Marchi-Uhel for her leadership, her remarkable commitment, and all she has done to advance the work of the IIIM during her mandate.

We are pleased to see the progress that the Mechanism has made in the reporting period, its continued efforts to engage and coordinate with all stakeholders, and its willingness to assist in national investigations. Yet despite the efforts, a lot of work remains to be done in this regard, which underlines both the need for and the pivotal role of the Mechanism in the pursuit of accountability for international crimes and human rights violations committed in Syria.

The Mechanism's tenth report highlights the progress made to hold individuals criminally accountable for the atrocities committed in the Syrian context and to provide justice for some of the most serious crimes committed in the Syrian Arab Republic.

Prosecutions have been brought forward and final judgements have been obtained against perpetrators in several EU countries, and these efforts continue to be pursued in a number of jurisdictions. These ongoing efforts are very important.

The EU remains convinced that accountability and justice for victims and survivors remain essential for a stable, peaceful Syria, based on a credible, inclusive and viable political solution in accordance with Resolution 2254.

We strongly condemn the continuous violations of international human rights law and international crimes committed in Syria by all parties. The EU will remain at the forefront of the fight against impunity in Syria: all those responsible for such acts must be held accountable. The EU will continue to support efforts to gather evidence of these atrocities, regardless of who may have committed them.

In June 2023 the Netherlands and Canada, as part of their important initiative to hold Syria to account for breaching the UN Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, instituted proceedings against Syria before the International Court of Justice. In November 2023 the Court ordered Syria to take provisional measures and the EU calls on it to comply with this Order.

The EU also continues to call upon the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.

We will continue to support the Mechanism as well as the work of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry and the OPWC Investigation and Identification Team, member of the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, to ensure the facts surrounding the crimes committed in the course of the conflict in Syria are documented, with a view to future legal action. We strongly condemn the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime, as concluded by numerous reports of the OPCW.

The EU reiterates its call on the Syrian regime to comply with the Convention, to fully cooperate with the OPCW investigations and to complete the dismantling of its chemical weapons programme.

It is crucial that the United Nations dedicates the energy and the resources, including sufficient funding, required to pursue and to ensure accountability for these crimes. This is our common responsibility. On 15 November 2023, the General Assembly urged the Secretary-General for further resources to address IIIM's increased workload and to ensure the effectiveness of its mandate.

We call on all States to cooperate with the IIIM.

For our part, the EU is determined that the crimes perpetrated in the last thirteen years will not go unpunished as the Syrian people deserve justice, dignity, and peace.

Mr President,

Thirteen years into the conflict in Syria, the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate in vast parts of the country, with millions of civilians in need of assistance. Syria's neighbours have been hosting large numbers of refugees for more than a decade. Syrian refugees are still unable to go back home because conditions for safe, dignified and voluntary return, in line with the parameters defined by UNHCR and in accordance with international law, are not fulfilled. It is the primary responsibility of the Syrian regime to remove these obstacles.

At the end of this month, the EU will host the Eighth Brussels Conference on supporting Syria and the region in order to draw international attention to the need for a political solution to the conflict, and to generate pledges of humanitarian support for Syria and in support of Syrian refugees and their host communities in the region. At the Day of Dialogue with Civil Society (on 30 April), the issue of accountability and justice will be one of the important issues on the agenda. During a dedicated panel discussion on ongoing efforts to address the issue of detainees and missing persons in Syria and the possibilities arising from the creation of the new Institution for Missing Persons: a number of relevant partners will participate on the panel, including IIIM. We are looking forward to welcoming the international community to this conference and call on your unrelenting generosity and continued support.

Thank you.

*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.