‘Chile seeks coordination with Jordan on receiving Syrian refugee families’

AMMAN — Chile plans to coordinate with Jordan on hosting 50 to 100 Syrian refugee families, Chilean Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgardo Riveros said Sunday.

In an interview with The Jordan Times during his one-day visit to Jordan, Riveros noted that his country will also coordinate with the International Organisation of Migration and concerned UN agencies.

Aware of the burdens Jordan is facing as a result of hosting refugees, Chile seeks to host Syrian families and integrate them into society, the vice minister noted.

“Chile offers to provide refugees with the suitable environment to integrate them into society, by teaching them the language, [and] providing them with education as well as income-generating work opportunities that will allow them financial independency,” he said.

“It is an offer that depends on a short- and long-term development view,” Riveros added, citing “successful” past experiences with a group of Palestinian families hosted as refugees.

Chile is home to a good number of communities of Arab origin, according to the official.

During his visit, Riveros met with Foreign Ministry Secretary General Mohammad Yassin and discussed means of enhancing social, economic and political ties.

“Jordan is the most stable country in the region, a matter that gives it a strategic importance,” he said, highlighting the quest for peace and stability as the most common vision between the two countries.

He cited peacekeeping forces from the two countries in Haiti as an example of that shared vision.

Economics 

So far, bilateral trade is still modest, but there are “strong” possibilities for the future, the vice minister noted.

Chile can enhance its exports of agricultural products to Jordan, including wine and dried fruits, with a “wide” market for the latter in Jordan. 

On the other hand, Jordan can enhance its economic presence in Chile, mainly in the textile industry, according to Riveros.

Chile exports products worth some $10 million to Jordan annually, mainly paper pulp, wood, copper, frozen sea food and chemicals. 

Jordan’s exports to Chile are only worth around $1 million per year, with textiles constituting the major product, according to the embassy of Chile in Amman.

Clean energy 

Although Chile faces challenges in generating power, its natural resources allow for utilising the environment as a clean source of energy, including solar, wind and geothermal energy, Riveros said.

“Chile is ready to share its expertise in the field of clean power,” he added, highlighting his country’s efforts to decrease carbon emissions to eliminate the impacts of climate change.

Riveros’ visit to Jordan is part of a regional tour that also includes Morocco, Algeria and Saudi Arabia, where he will participate in the November 10-11 Summit of South American-Arab Countries.

“We hope for the summit to provide an opportunity to enhance ties with the Arab world,” he said.