Antonio Guterres.

United Nations, August 9 (RHC) United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed on Wednesday the agreement between the organization and the Government of Syria to use the Bab al-Hawa border crossing for humanitarian purposes for another six months.

According to a statement, the agreement will allow vital humanitarian assistance to be provided to millions of people in need in northwest Syria.

This comes after the commitment between the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, and the Government of Syria for the UN and its partners to continue providing cross-border humanitarian support.

The assistance will be provided at the necessary scale and based on principles that allow engagement with all parties in order to seek humanitarian access and safeguard the UN's operational independence, the statement said.

The extension of the use of the Bab al-Hawa crossing will allow the continued delivery of UN humanitarian aid through Turkey.

Guterres also expressed his satisfaction with the authorization for the humanitarian use of the Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra'ee border crossings for another three months, as well as additional routes within Syria in Sarmada and Saraqib for the delivery of assistance for the next six months. (Source: PL)