New York, July 21 (SANA)The UN Security Council on Tuesday held a briefing on Syria’s political and humanitarian developments, with Syria’s Permanent Representative Ibrahim Olabi saying the country is moving from war and destruction toward institutional recovery,transitional justiceand a more active regional role.

Olabi said Syria had passed from being “an arena for conflicts” to a bridge connecting continents, pointing to recent economic and institutional developments, including the signing of memoranda of understanding in Washington to rehabilitate theKirkuk-Baniyasoil pipeline, the first session of the People’s Assembly, the formation of the Supreme Constitutional Court, and progress on transitional justice.

He said Syria has received 3.5 million visitors in the first half of the year, with foreign tourist numbers rising by 484 percent, describing the figures as evidence of growing confidence in the country. He also said accountability for violations inSweidahad begun, stressing that the province remains at the heart of Syria and that protecting the rights and dignity of its people is a national duty.

Olabi added that Damascus looks forward to hosting UN Secretary-General António Guterres in a visit that would reflect the historic transformation achieved by Syrians, and reaffirmed that Syria will not be used as a corridor for illicit arms, a battleground for regional scores or a launchpad to threaten neighboring states.

Deputy Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Syria Claudio Cordone said the country now has a real opportunity to build inclusive institutions that meet the needs of all Syrians. He described the appointment of the Supreme Constitutional Court and the launch of thePeople’s Assemblyas significant milestones in the transitional process set out in the Constitutional Declaration issued in March 2025.

Cordone welcomed the Syrian authorities’ repeated assurances that they do not want Syria to become an arena for regional conflict, and stressed the need to respect Syria’s sovereignty while supporting Syrian institutions and the Syrian people during this period. He also said removing Syria from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list reflects growing international confidence and marks a step toward recovery.

Edem Wosornu, Director of the Crisis Response Division at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said there is a real opportunity to help Syrians move from dependence on emergency aid to recovery. She said the return of Syrians to their country reflects both recovery and determination to rebuild, adding that around 1.7 million refugees and 1.9 million internally displaced persons have returned to Syria since December 2024.

Among neighboring countries, Pakistan said it reaffirmed unwavering solidarity with the Syrian people, while Türkiye said the new People’s Assembly had brought together different segments of society and that the international community should increase support for Syria’s recovery andreconstruction. Bahrain praised Syria’s institution-building efforts, including election procedures and the convening of the first session of the assembly, while also highlighting women’s representation.

Other Council members also voiced support. Russia said it backed the Syrian government’s efforts to protect the rights of all citizens and welcomed progress in restoring unity and strengthening state institutions. The United States said Syria is making progress on the political, humanitarian and security fronts and that removing terrorism-related restrictions would help boost trade andinvestmentfor reconstruction.China called for stronger peace and stability in Syria and said theGolanremains occupied territory from which Israel must withdraw. The United Kingdom said it supports efforts to enhance stability and security in Syria, looks forward to working with the People’s Assembly and called on Israel to withdraw from occupied areas insouthern Syria. France said the Syrian government’s extension of authority over the entire territory is essential to stability and stressed the need to combat impunity. Denmark, Greece, Colombia, Latvia, Somalia and Panama also voiced support for Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, political transition and recovery.