Thank you Assistant Secretary-General Robert Petit for the briefing and the debate today.

Let me also welcome Foreign Minister Al Shaibani to the Assembly. Your presence here today is a powerful signal of the opportunities that lie ahead for Syria to carve out a more secure, peaceful and prosperous future.

I will make three points today.

First, we welcome progress in Syria’s political transition since the fall of the Assad regime. 

This includes the formation of a new Syrian Government and their commitment to hold free and fair elections in Syria.

We also welcome the important steps taken since December towards social cohesion amongst the Syrian people.

This includes the first-ever consensus on the Human Rights Council resolution supported by the Syrian Government, and commitments by the Syrian Government to establish national committees to address transitional justice, missing persons and chemical weapons.

However, as the horrific events in the coastal areas in March remind us, significant challenges remain to address the legacy of 14 years of war and brutality, and to begin the process to provide closure to all those affected.

Second, we commend the IIIM for the valuable progress it has made since December on the international pursuit for accountability. 

The volume of documentation and witness interviews that the IIIM team have collated is a testament to your tireless dedication to provide a credible evidence base for future prosecutions. 

The appointment of an IIIM Liaison Officer in Damascus is also a promising example of UN-Syria cooperation, and we urge all parties to work collaboratively to ensure that survivors receive the justice that they demand, and that they deserve.

Third, the UK had a leading role in supporting international and civil society accountability efforts during the Assad regime. 

And we remain committed to pursuing accountability for victims, survivors and families in Syria, and for that reason, we continue to see the IIIM as a crucial component for the future Syrian-led Transitional Justice processes.

We were proud to have co-sponsored the UNGA resolution which established this mechanism in 2016 and remain committed to ensuring that it has the political backing and operational remit it requires to succeed.

And this year, the United Kingdom has allocated a further $940,000 in funding to our partners in support of this effective evidence collection and preservation.

We thank IIIM for your contribution to the fight against impunity and for amplifying the voices of survivors throughout your work. 

The UK will continue to support the Syrian Government and its people in their efforts on reconciliation and accountability to ensure a stable and prosperous future for the people of Syria.