Netherlands ‘very appreciative’ of Jordanian humanitarian assistance to refugees — ambassador

AMMAN — The Netherlands is committed to boosting Jordan’s economic growth and mitigating the impact of hosting Syrian refugees, Dutch Ambassador to Jordan Harry Verweij said.

“The two Royal Houses have strong relations and the two countries enjoy a deep rooted friendship and excellent relations and cooperation in many fields,” the ambassador said during a recent interview with The Jordan Times.  

Verweij said that the Netherlands is “very appreciative” of Jordanian humanitarian assistance to refugees and is “fully” aware of what it means for Jordan. This is why the Netherlands has substantially expanded its support to Jordan, becoming the fifth largest donor, the envoy added. 

“It is really amazing how Jordan has managed to take in and absorb refugees, some 80 per cent or more Syrian refugees live amongst host communities who deserve our assistance as well…. This is really a great achievement which we recognise and will continue to support,” Verweij said. 

To support Jordan in its efforts of hosting a large number of refugees, the ambassador said that the Dutch government has extended a total of 200 million euros in development assistance to Jordan since 2019 which, he added, was also a sign of the Netherlands’ recognition of the Kingdom’s humanitarian efforts for refugees.

Explaining that refugees can also contribute to Jordan’s economic growth, Verweij said that the Dutch government has helped Syrian refugees start businesses or expand existing ones. 

The ambassador said that the Netherlands is implementing a set of projects across the Kingdom in agriculture, water, green technology, private sector development, agri-tourism and vocational training. 

He explained that the Netherlands has succeeded in becoming the world’s second largest exporter of agricultural produce although it has only a small area of land, thanks to applying advanced agricultural technologies, such as hydroponic systems.

Within Jordanian-Dutch development cooperation in these fields, the ambassador also said that the Netherlands is trying to help Jordan adopt modern technologies, including those that have worked for the Netherlands, and overcome challenges and limitations, primarily water scarcity.

“A farmer is an entrepreneur. You have to listen to farmers who have worked their fields for generations and not give them instructions, and then you can see how they can adapt to new technologies. This is what we are discussing with the government and with farmers,” the ambassador said.

“Greening is at the heart of everything we do for the economic recovery of Jordan and there is a huge opportunity to make use of the land, sunshine and Jordanian entrepreneurship,” Verweij noted.

He also said that the two countries share an understanding on each other’s position on a number of regional issues, including the Syrian conflict and the Middle East Peace Process.

On Syria, he explained that the Netherlands has the opinion that a comprehensive political solution to the Syrian conflict is needed before further engagement is possible.  

The ambassador said that the need for a political solution to the Syrian conflict is “not rhetoric and a firm political line”.  

The ambassador added that his country is committed to the two-state solution and the Hashemite Custodianship over the holy sites in Jerusalem.

“For us we are firmly committed to the two-state solution, the 1967 borders, the Jordanian custodianship … this is a major line in our foreign policy…there is no deviation from this policy,” the ambassador said.

Finally, Verweij reiterated that the Netherlands’ support in all areas focuses on pioneering innovative solutions through Dutch-Jordanian partnerships to create long-lasting prospects for youth, women and vulnerable communities.