Fakhoury, int'l mission discuss support for refugees, host communities

AMMAN — Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury on Wednesday met with a joint international mission that seeks to assess mechanisms of financial support to underprivileged Jordanians and Syrian refugees, a ministry statement said.

The meeting was hosted by the Norwegian Ambassador in Amman Tone Allers and attended by members of the mission, which comprises ambassadors of donor countries, representatives of international organisations and international commissions that are working in Jordan.

During the meeting, Fakhoury urged donors to provide the necessary funding "continuously and regularly" for the target groups.

He stressed the need for periodic review of the eligibility criteria for this support targeting "all underprivileged groups without discrimination, and continued coordination with the relevant bodies, in addition to developing the necessary databases to be adopted as a unified source of distribution of support to ensure effective delivery to eligible groups", according to the statement.

The minister also urged the international community to support the Jordan Response Plan to the Syrian Crisis 2018-2020, and securing sufficient grants and concessional financing to deal with the requirements of the general budget over the next three years.

Fakhoury highlighted the importance of the international support provided to Jordan, describing it as essential for the Kingdom to continue granting humanitarian and development aid to the Syrian refugees and their host communities.

The planning minister outlined the current economic challenges facing the Kingdom due to the regional situation, including the burdens of hosting large numbers of Syrian refugees, noting the Jordanian approach in dealing with these challenges, the statement continued.

He described the financial support as the "most effective" way for the refugees to cover the expenses of basic needs such as housing, healthcare and education, "which would mitigate the burden on Jordan and maximise the benefit of the Jordanian economy". 

He pointed out that Jordan was "proactive" in devising funding mechanisms that contribute to providing humanitarian support to refugees. Additionally he highlighted the introduction of an iris scan system for refugees' registration with a focus on information technology in providing assistance.

The mission comprises representatives of Germany, Australia, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, the UK, the US, and the EU. 

For their part, the members of the mission expressed their appreciation for the Kingdom's humanitarian support for the refugees, stressing their "commitment to continue providing sufficient financing for the Jordan Response Plan and the Jordan Compact”.