Jordan presents refugee burden case as it chairs UNSC meeting

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Friday highlighted the burdens borne by the Kingdom as a result of hosting large numbers of Syrian refugees in the wake of the crisis in Syria, which has entered its fifth year. 

 In his address as he chaired a UN Security Council session on Syria, which focused on the humanitarian conditions of Syrian refugees, the developments on the ground and the need to arrive at a political solution for the crisis, Judeh said Jordan has received around 650,000 Syrian refugees since the outbreak of the crisis.

This increased the number of Syrians in Jordan up to around 1.5 million, or around 21 per cent of the population, Judeh told the council, pointing out that around 750,000 Syrians were living in Jordan before the outbreak of the crisis. 

Judeh highlighted the impact of Syrian refugees on the country's various sectors, noting that around 140,000 Syrian students were registered at public schools in Jordan in the scholastic year 2014-15. 

Also, water consumption increased by 22 per cent last year in the country which is one of the poorest world countries in water resources.  

The health sector was also among the top affected, having to handle extra pressures. In 2014, hospitals and public health centres dealt with around 708,000 Syrian refugees at an increase of around 219,000 cases from the previous year. 

Besides, the labour sector was also affected, Judeh said, noting that the fallout of these challenges directly impacts the daily life of Jordanian citizens. 

He also highlighted adverse consequences such challenges may result in, creating tensions among the refugees on the one hand and with host communities and their components on the other. 

As Jordan continues with its humanitarian mission, Judeh said all concerned parties should shoulder their responsibilities in this regard, pointing out that under the Jordan Response Plan to address the impact of Syrian refugees, the JRP needs for this year are estimated at around $3 billion.