Angelina Jolie is pleading with world powers to help the millions of Syrian refugees, sharply criticising the UN Security Council of being paralysed by its division over Syria’s four-year conflict.

The 39-year-old filmmaker, who is a special envoy for the UN on refugee issues, will headline a day of briefings to the the UN Security Council, that include the UN refugee and humanitarian chiefs and the special envoy for Syria.

Syria’s ambassador says simply of her presence, “She’s beautiful.”

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie with William Hague ( Stefan Rousseau/PA)
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie with William Hague ( Stefan Rousseau/PA)

A draft presidential statement before the council, obtained by The Associated Press, seeks the world’s support for Syria’s neighbours, who have warned they are dangerously overstretched by the flood of refugees.

Nearly four million Syrians have fled the conflict into neighboring countries, which warn they are dangerously overstretched.

According to prepared remarks Angelina says, “We cannot look at Syria, and the evil that has arisen from the ashes of indecision, and think this is not the lowest point in the world’s inability to protect and defend the innocent.”

Angelina, who has directed war drama Unbroken and In The Land Of Blood And Honey, visited a refugee camp in northern Iraq in January.