UNHCR, US ‘committed’ to refugee response in Jordan

AMMAN — The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the US Embassy in Jordan held a joint media briefing on Tuesday regarding the current situation of refugees in Jordan.

In his remarks, UNHCR Representative to Jordan Dominik Bartsch expressed his appreciation of the US government’s “steadfast support” to the refugee response, as UNHCR’s single-largest donor in Jordan and worldwide. 

He also commended the Kingdom’s “exemplary” efforts as a generous host of refugees, facilitating their inclusion and enabling their access to healthcare, education and the labour market. 

“Jordan was the first country to include refugees in its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, another example of its unwavering commitment to do right by the people in need of protection,” he said. 

“As a result of this generous approach, many of the 660,000 Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR in Jordan have been able to rebuild their lives and support their families,” Bartsch added.

However, the UNHCR representative expressed concern that “declining donor support and economic challenges” may exasperate humanitarian needs. 

“Our vulnerability assessments show that many refugee households are struggling, falling further below the poverty line,” he said, noting that nearly a quarter of a million refugees currently receive cash assistance from UNHCR. 

According to Bartsch, around 740,000 refugees from various nationalities, including Syrians, Iraqis and Yemenis, are registered with UNHCR, 46 per cent of whom are children.

He stressed that UNHCR makes an effort to cooperate with various NGOs, UN agencies as well as private and civil society organisations operating in Jordan to “maximise its impact on the lives of refugees and the host communities”. 

“We are particularly keen to collaborate more closely with development partners to improve upon the coherence between humanitarian action and the longer-term development investment to ease the burden on Jordan and create economic opportunities for both Jordanians and refugees,” he added. 

Bartsch also pointed out that Jordan will assume the role of co-convener during the Global Refugee Forum, which will be held in December, providing a platform for the international community to renew its support and demonstrate its solidarity with host countries such as Jordan, “which has been a reliable, committed and most generous host of people forced into exile”.

“Together with strong partners such as the US government, we remain committed to coordinate the refugee response so that no one is left behind, no Jordanian and no refugee,” he added. 

US Department of State Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeya  began her speech by thanking UNHCR for its “tireless” work and commending Jordan’s “extraordinary hospitality and support for refugees”. 

“The US stands alongside Jordanians as your ally and longtime friend, to help meet the needs of refugees and the communities that host them. We are with you as long as it takes,” she said. 

Zeya further noted that the US has provided roughly $15.9 billion in humanitarian aid since the start of the Syrian conflict, including its response to the recent earthquake that impacted Turkey and Syria. 

“The US is proud to be the leading international donor to humanitarian programmes in Jordan, providing more than $2.4 billion to support refugees and host communities since 2012, including more than $257 million in humanitarian assistance last year,” she added. 

Moreover, assistance provided by the US promotes access to food, healthcare, education, water and sanitation for refugees in Jordan, according to Zeya.

It also takes the form of training that aims to help refugees and vulnerable communities in Jordan become more “self-reliant” by equipping them with a variety of skills related to financial literacy, small business administration and agriculture, among others, she said. 

The US is also committed to doing its part in increasing the resettlement of refugees, added Zeya, noting that President Biden has set refugee admissions to the US at 125,000 this year. 

 “Secretary of State Blinken recently announced the President’s intent to provide an additional $100 million in humanitarian aid in response to the unprecedented and devastating toll in Turkey and Syria, bringing the total US humanitarian earthquake response in both nations to $185 million to date,” she continued. 

In Syria, the US channels its assistance through humanitarian partners and NGOs, which help provide emergency assistance, including hot meals, water, medical care, clothes and temporary shelter, according to Zeya.