Japan contributes $2.5m in support of Syrian refugees in Jordan

AMMAN — Japan’s Ambassador to Jordan Okuyama Jiro visited a Syrian refugee family and a community centre in Irbid Governorate to observe the activities of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) aimed at Syrian refugees. 

The Japanese government has allocated $2.5 million to UNHCR between January and December 2023 for the “Protection Assistance to Refugees, Focusing on Community Mobilisation, Women Empowerment and Basic Needs Assistance” project, which provides basic needs of vulnerable Syrian refuges, who suffer from rising food and fuel prices, according to a Japanese embassy statement released on Monday.

The programme aims to empower the community’s engagement in the refugee response both in and out of camps by developing refugees’ leadership. The assistance from the Japanese government benefits over 23,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan, the statement said.

Okuyama was briefed by Dominik Bartsch, Representative of the UNHCR Jordan Office, about the recent developments in Syrian refugee assistance. In addition to visiting a Syrian family that benefits from UNHCR cash assistance, the ambassador also toured the Princess Basma Centre, which provides support for women’s empowerment and gender equality.