Jordan, EU discuss refugee response

AMMAN — Jordan on Sunday stressed the importance of the upcoming Resilience Development Forum in producing a joint regional agenda to enhance the resilience of countries affected by the Syrian crisis.

At a meeting with EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides, Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury said the November 8-9 forum, to be held at the Dead Sea, will enable governments in the region to identify their priorities and point out gaps in funding at the national level and the obstacles hindering the implementation of response plans to the refugee crisis.

The forum, organised by the UNDP under the theme “Integrating Responses, Expanding Partnerships”, is also aimed at finding effective solutions to funding and assistance issues, Fakhoury said, according to a ministry statement.

The minister also briefed Stylianides on the recently launched Jordan Response Plan 2016-2018, stressing the need to ensure it is sufficiently funded to enable the Kingdom to cover the needs of Syrian refugees and ensure the resilience of host communities.

He urged the EU official to assist Jordan in securing the required funds for the plan’s success.

In addition, Fakhoury highlighted the Kingdom’s political and economic reform efforts, including its Jordan 2025 blueprint which outlines socio-economic development priorities for the next decade.

Stylianides said the EU is impressed with Jordan’s reform endeavour, describing it as a model to be followed in the region.

The EU, he noted, is aware of the burden Jordan is shouldering due to the Syrian refugee crisis, adding that he will convey the Kingdom’s point of view to officials in Brussels in order to examine means to increase support for Jordan.