World Bank announces new funds for refugees, host communities

AMMAN — The World Bank's Concessional Financing Facility (CFF) on Saturday announced $350-million concessional funding for three new projects to support Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan and Lebanon.

The new projects aim to improve the lives of Syrian refugees and host communities by expanding vital public health services in both Jordan and Lebanon, as well as strengthening critical wastewater infrastructure in Jordan.

Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury commended the decision, noting that Jordan hosts a large number of refugees, and therefore requires more funds to maintain the levels of services and infrastructure, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

“Jordan is honoured to have provided refuge for so many Syrians, but it has come at a cost,” the minister said. “With the support of the facility, we now have the long-term financing we need to more affordably build our resilience by expanding basic services and strengthening infrastructure.”

The CFF's decision came after the United Kingdom and Sweden respectively announced a funding of up to £60 million and $10 million.  

“For the last six years, Jordan and Lebanon have been providing a global public good by hosting millions of Syrian refugees,” said Hafez Ghanem, World Bank vice president for the Middle East and North Africa. “This Facility provides an open platform for donor countries and humanitarian and development organisations to come together and deliver the holistic support that Jordan and Lebanon need and deserve.”

In addition to the new financing, the CFF programme supports a $300-million project in Jordan to enhance investment and  job creation for both Jordanians and Syrian refugees.

As a result, more than 40,000 Syrian refugees have obtained work permits.

Two other projects in Jordan have received CFF funding, including a $48-million project to strengthen wastewater infrastructure and $250 million to improve the management and delivery of water and electricity. 

In Lebanon, the CFF is helping fund a $200-million roads and employment project.

The new funding brings the total of concessional financing unlocked by the Facility to support Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan and Lebanon to $1 billion.