Damascus, Syria - December 18, 2024 The United Nations special envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, said Wednesday that he sees hope to see the development of a "new Syria" in the aftermath of the country's recent political upheaval while acknowledging the formidable challenges that remain. Speaking to reporters as he wrapped up his trip to Damascus, Pedersen noted that he had conferred with leaders from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), other armed factions, representatives of the Syrian National Coalition, as well as families of the detained and missing, civil society figures, and women activists. Pedersen underscored that the conflict is not over. While Damascus is relatively stable, some areas remain unsettled, particularly in Kurdish-controlled areas in the northeast. He welcomed the recent renewal of a truce there, urging a political solution and warning that the region's issues must be addressed to secure lasting peace. The envoy also highlighted Syria's dire economic situation as a pressing concern. He called for immediate humanitarian aid and the potential easing of sanctions, emphasizing the necessity of a credible and inclusive political transition. The UN, he stressed, stands ready to assist and cooperate with Syria's new authorities, hoping to work closely with the administration on critical issues facing the country. Shotlist: Damascus, Syria - Dec 18, 2024: 1. United Nations special envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, meeting press; 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Geir Pedersen, UN special envoy to Syria: "There are a few challenges, one is that the conflict isn't over yet. Yes, there is stability in Damascus but there are challenges in some areas. And of course, one of the biggest challenges is the situation in the northeast. I'm very pleased that the truce has been renewed, and that it seems to be holding, that hopefully we will see a political solution to that issue."; Damascus, Syria - Dec 8, 2024 3. Damaged vehicles in street; 4. Various of street view, pedestrians, smoke coming from concrete pedestal in street, traffic; Damascus, Syria - Dec 18, 2024 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Geir Pedersen, UN special envoy to Syria: "Then the second, and that of course is a major challenge, as you all know, is the scale of economic challenges. We need immediate humanitarian assistance but we also need to make sure that Syria can be rebuilt, that we can see economic recovery and that we can hopefully see the beginning that restarts the process to end sanctions. And third, but not last, of course, it is the importance of making sure that we have a political transition that will be credible, inclusive and include the broadest range of the Syrian society and Syrian parties."; Damascus, Syria - Dec 9, 2024 6. Various of traffic, pedestrians; Damascus, Syria - Dec 6, 2024 7. Aerial shots of cityscape. [Restriction - No Access Chinese Mainland/Orient TV/Syria Alshaab TV/Zanoubia TV/Alhurra TV/ANN TV/Al Jazeera/ Al-Arabiya TV]