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Did the UN fail Syria? Lakhdar Brahimi guest edits UNA-UK magazine

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Did the UN fail Syria? Lakhdar Brahimi guest edits UNA-UK magazine

As the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reveals that coalition air strikes have killed at least 89 civilians over the past week, the United Nations Association – UK has released a new magazine issue, interrogating whether the blame for the intractable crisis should really be placed at the UN’s doors.

The magazine features an exclusive editorial from the Guest Editor, Lakhdar Brahimi, who served as UN and Arab League Envoy to Syria from 2012 until 2014:

Yes, the UN failed to stop the bloodshed in Syria, but a deeper understanding is needed of why the UN fails when it fails, and why the UN succeeds when it succeeds

The magazine, entitled ‘The Syria issue’, features insider perspectives on the Syrian conflict from contributors from eight stakeholder countries – including Russia, Iran, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine – mapping out the complex nature of the crisis and the opposing interests of UN member states:

This issue also includes an exclusive interview with Melissa Fleming – Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and Senior Advisor to Secretary-General António Guterres’ transition team. Fleming sets out the near-insurmountable challenges faced by the UN’s humanitarian response to Syria – from restricted access to civilians, to the inadequate response by the international community to the world’s most severe refugee crisis.

Meanwhile, Birgitta Holst Alani, facilitator to the Geneva peace talks, investigates the under-explored aspect of gender in the Syrian conflict, and Baroness Valerie Amos, Director of SOAS, University of London, looks at how ordinary British citizens can push for a collective response to Syria.

UNA-UK also spoke exclusively to a young Syrian refugee, Moh, about his experience volunteering as a translator at school in a refugee camp in Chios, Greece.

Download the magazine