Jordan, UK coordinate stands ahead of donor meeting

AMMAN — Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury on Thursday discussed with UK Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening and her accompanying delegation, cooperation to prepare for the donor conference to be held in London in February, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The conference aims at supporting countries affected by the Syrian crisis.

Fakhoury voiced hope that the conference’s outcome would reflect positively on Jordan, which suffers from economic, security and social repercussions as a result of hosting too many Syrian refugees. 

Fakhoury and Greening also discussed bilateral relations and challenges facing the region.

Fakhoury briefed Greening on the ways the Kingdom handles the repercussions of the crisis through developing programmes that enable the Kingdom to receive aid and attract investments.

He stressed the importance of continuous aid from the international community through direct support to the government in order to address the effects of the Syrian crisis on the country. 

Under the Jordan Response Plan (JRP) for 2016-2018, Jordan has designed interventions, programmes and projects worth a total of $7.99 billion, according to the planning minister. 

For her part, Greening stressed the depth of bilateral relations and voiced willingness to continue supporting the Kingdom, especially when it comes to receiving and hosting Syrian refugees. 

During her visit to the Kingdom on Thursday, Greening also met with Education Minister Mohammad Thneibat and discussed with him education and development, according to a UK embassy statement. 

Thneibat told the UK official that 145,000 Syrian students are enrolled in Jordan’s schools, Petra reported.

Greening also visited Irbid and toured a factory owned by Syrians and staffed by Jordanians and Syrians, the embassy said. 

She also visited a programme affiliated with CARE International and funded by the UK, which offers vocational training for Jordanians to be prepared to enter the job market.