Interior minister, UN officials review progress on development, refugees

AMMAN — Interior Minister Salameh Hammad and UN Jordan Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Anders Pedersen on Tuesday discussed development cooperation and the Kingdom’s efforts to improve human rights. 

During the meeting — one of two with UN officials on Tuesday — Hammad said that sustainable economic development is as important as political development. 

The minister added that economic development has topped His Majesty King Abdullah’s priorities since he assumed constitutional powers, and can be seen in His Majesty’s efforts to secure better living conditions for citizens, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The Ministry of Interior, through its local development department, aims to bring development to fruition through various projects in the governorates, the minister added.

He also noted that the ministry is directly engaged with following up on human rights reports.

For his part, Pedersen praised Jordanian efforts in the field of human rights and the Kingdom’s endeavours to tie its reforms to international standards.

Also on Tuesday, Hammad met with UNHCR Representative to Jordan Christine Matthews over helping the Kingdom bear the repercussions of various refugee influxes, according to Petra. 

During the meeting, the minister highlighted the “deep and strategic” relations between the Kingdom and the UNHCR, as well as its role in supporting refugees in Jordan. 

The two sides also covered UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi’s scheduled visit to the Kingdom in the next few days for World Refugee Day.

The agency is committed to helping Jordan host refugees and offering them basic services despite difficult economic circumstances, Matthews said.