The new United Nations envoy to Syria has warned the country’s civil war has reached “catastrophic proportions.” Lakhdar Brahimi, a veteran Algerian diplomat, issued the warning in his first address to the U.N. General Assembly since replacing Kofi Annan.

Lakhdar Brahimi: “The death toll is staggering, the destruction is reaching catastrophic proportions, and the suffering of the people is immense. Mr. President, I am looking forward to my visit to Damascus in a few days’ time and also, when convenient and possible, to all the countries who are in a position to help the Syrian-led political process become a reality, leading to a transition that respects the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people and enables them independently and democratically to determine their own future.”