World should take indirect costs of refugee crisis into account — PM

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Thursday called on the international community to employ a comprehensive approach in addressing the Syrian refugee crisis, incorporating its accompanying social, economic and security costs on host countries. 

The premier made the remarks at a meeting with UN Undersecretary General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos and an accompanying delegation, during which several issues related to humanitarian assistance offered to Syrian refugees were discussed.

Ensour stressed that the consequences of the Syrian crisis on Jordan have doubled its economic woes, especially in light of the Kingdom’s limited natural resources and inadequate international support. 

Jordan has been receiving waves of refugees from several neighbouring countries for decades and has been shouldering a humanitarian responsibility on behalf of the international community, he noted.

The international assistance Jordan receives to host around 1.5 million Syrians barely covers the actual cost borne by the Kingdom, the premier added. 

Discussions also tackled UN Security Council Resolution 2165 on humanitarian aid for Syrians inside their war-torn country.  

Resolution 2165 was adopted in July to enable UN aid delivery across four border crossing points, without needing the consent of the Syrian government, and will enable access to 3 million people in hard-to-reach areas in the war-torn country.

For her part, Amos commended Jordan’s humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees, at the same time expressing understanding of its increasing burdens, especially with most of the refugees residing in major cities. 

She also called on the international community to increase its support to Jordan.

Also on Thursday, Planning Minister Ibrahim Saif met with Amos and discussed the 2014/2016 National Resilience Plan to empower host communities in Jordan.

Saif said UN agencies can play a major role in urging the international community to increase its support for Jordan in shouldering the refugee burden.