Planning Ministry begins updating Response Plan for Syrian Crisis

AMMAN — The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation has commenced updating Jordan's 2021-2023 Response Plan (JRP) for the Syrian Crisis by communicating and coordinating with the international community, to alleviate the government’s economic burdens resulting from hosting Syrian refugees and the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry announced on Tuesday.

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nasser Shraideh said in a ministry statement that the update aims at realigning the plan with the national priorities amid the spread of coronavirus epidemic, dampening the impact of hosting refugees and underpinning host communities.

The move came to "highlight the government’s efforts towards curbing the spread of the virus among Syrian refugees residing in camps and hosting communities," he said, noting that the update is a collaborative effort made by the ministry, other government bodies, UN organisations and donors.

The JRP will show the impact of receiving refugees on the State Treasury and will include projects that match the anti-epidemic efforts in refugee camps and host communities, besides supporting national institutions and infrastructures, the statement added.

The financial requirements of the JRP are being identified by the ministry in coordination with other relevant ministries, and go in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Compact on Refugees, adopting a resilience-strengthening approach that considers the humanitarian and development aspects of each sector.

Besides supporting host communities and refugees, the JRP also supports a wide range of sectors, notably institutional capacity building, education, health, water and sanitation, social protection, justice, shelter, and public services, including municipal and local government services, energy, transport, environment, economic empowerment sector, in addition to interventions related to food security and livelihoods, the statement added.