On Friday, the Commission, Cyprus, United Arab Emirates, United States, and United Kingdom issued a joint statement declaring their plan to establish a new pathway in collaboration with the UN’s Sigrid Kaag.

The United Nations coordinator, authorized by the Security Council, has been assigned to facilitate, enhance, and supervise the delivery of assistance to over two million distressed individuals in Gaza. A specialized team from her team is currently stationed in Cyprus, where the government has spearheaded the creation of a new method for transporting aid from the Mediterranean nation to Gaza.

The statement announced that the UAE’s dedicated efforts to garner support for the initiative will soon result in an initial trial shipment being sent to the Gaza coast. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that this could occur as soon as this weekend.

US pier pledge

The government of Cyprus has announced plans to hold a meeting with top officials to discuss expediting the establishment of a new sea route. This comes after a recent announcement from US President Joe Biden on Thursday evening regarding a temporary pier to be used for distributing aid along the Gaza coast. The statement also states that all efforts will be carefully coordinated with the Israeli government.

Taking questions from correspondents in New York, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Ms. Kaag had been in close contact with Cyprus “and she’s been involved in discussions on the initiative as an additional access route to Gaza, in line with her mandate”.

The partners in charge of the initiative are overseeing the logistics of the particular maritime shipments and the construction of the dock or port.

When asked about the potential success of the US plan and aid routes through the ocean, Mr. Dujarric stated that there is no substitute for a larger deployment of aid by land and commercial transportation, though he did express that aid entering through other means would be appreciated.

The global coalition organizing the sea route stated that sending aid to Gaza will be a complicated task and must be incorporated into a continuous endeavor to improve the transportation of relief and trade items through any feasible means.

In conclusion, it is imperative that we collectively increase our efforts to ensure that aid reaches those in dire need.

Source: news.un.org