UNHCR vows continued support for Jordan

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday met with UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi, who is visiting Jordan as part of a broader mission to the region.

During the meeting at Al Husseiniya Palace, attended by Her Majesty Queen Rania, the two sides went over the Kingdom's efforts in hosting Syrian refugees and the challenges it is facing in this regard, a Royal Court statement said.

His Majesty expressed appreciation of the UNHCR for its support, which helps the Kingdom in dealing with the economic and developmental repercussions ensuing from the crisis.

The King stressed the importance of boosting the efforts by international actors involved in supporting the Syrian refugees and their hosts, especially Jordan, where refugees makeup 20 per cent of the total population.

Jordan is keen on more cooperation with UNHCR to mitigate the impacts of the refugee crisis on host communities across the Kingdom, His Majesty said.

For his part, the UN official commended Jordan for its contributions in this regard, renewing UNHCR’s commitment to continued support for the Kingdom.

Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs Nasser Judeh attended the meeting.

Also on Sunday, Prime Minister Hani Mulki, accompanied by Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury and Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani, met with the UNHCR high commissioner.

During the meeting, Mulki said that Jordan is hosting Syrian refugees on behalf of the world. However, he said, the Kingdom is no longer capable of bearing the pressure on its infrastructure and vital sectors such as health, education and water.

Jordan seeks more cooperation with the UNHCR and other international organisations to urge the concerned countries and organisations to meet their responsibilities, Mulki added.

On the closure of the northern and northeastern borders and declaring them military zones, following a terrorist attack in June, Mulki stressed that the security of Jordan is “above all considerations”, and that its stability is a key factor for the stability of the region.

Grandi expressed the UNHCR’s understanding of the crisis and its impacts on Jordan, commending the noticeable improvement in the refugees’ conditions.