Queen discusses Syrian refugee crisis with British PM

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania on Friday met with UK Prime Minister David Cameron in London, and discussed ways to help Jordan address the challenges created by hosting 1.4 million Syrian refugees.

At the meeting, Her Majesty thanked the government and people of the United Kingdom for their continued support. 

She added that ongoing violence in the Middle East has forced many countries, including Jordan, to cope with the overwhelming burden of hosting refugees, and called for new approaches and innovative solutions to address this issue, according to a statement from Her Majesty’s office.

The Queen and Cameron discussed the impact of the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis on Jordan’s healthcare and education sectors and infrastructure. 

Queen Rania explained that with almost 90 per cent of Syrian refugees living in towns and villages instead of refugee camps, Jordan’s limited resources, schools and hospitals have been stretched to the limit.

This strain on the state budget has prompted the Kingdom to launch a comprehensive economic plan to mitigate the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis.

The meeting comes ahead of the upcoming Syria Donor’s Conference, which will convene in London on February 2.

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury and Jordan’s Ambassador to the UK Mazen  Homoud attended the meeting from the Jordanian side, while British Ambassador to Jordan Edward Oakden and a number of officials from the UK prime minister’s office were also present.

Her Majesty’s trip to London is the first stop in a working visit to several European countries, where she is scheduled to meet with senior European officials, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to the statement. 

The Queen’s meetings will focus on support for Jordan and prospects for long-term solutions to the challenges it faces in light of the refugee crisis and regional turmoil.