LONDON: Jordan’s interior minister, Mazin Al-Farrayeh, on Monday said his country will never be a permanent resettlement destination for Syrian refugees.
Talking to media during a visit to the Azraq and Emirati-Jordanian refugee camps, he said Jordan is a host to 1.3 million Syrian refugees.
He noted the Jordan faces extreme challenges as a result of insufficient international aid, which last year met only 30 percent of the needed funding.
He said the shortfall in funding puts an immense pressure on country’s resources and affects the quality of services provided to the refugees.
Al-Farrayeh visited the camps to review living conditions, especially in the winter conditions, and as part of efforts to encourage greater levels of global support.
He met international donors at the Azraq camp, which is home to about 44,000 Syrians, and told them that other global crises must not overshadow the needs of Syrian refugees.
While talking to local security council and residents, he advised them of the important need to preserve their Syrian identity, while preparing for eventual return to their homeland.
He also said that more than 215,000 children have been born in Jordan since 2011 to refugee parents.
As Al-Farrayeh also acknowledged the support Jordan has received from global organizations and donor countries, adding the important role Jordan plays in hosting refugees under King Abdullah II.
While visiting the Emirati-Jordanian camp, which hosts 6,200 Syrians, he lauded the UAE for its humanitarian work and its strong collaboration with Jordan in efforts to help and support refugees.
Hassan Salem Al-Qaidi, head of the Emirati relief team at the camp, briefed him about the contributions made by Emirati authorities since the camp was established in 2012.
