LONDON: Jordan’s King Abdullah called for a more coordinated humanitarian response in Gaza and reiterated his country’s commitment to supporting Palestinian refugees and the UN agency tasked with helping them, UNRWA.
Speaking at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva on Wednesday, he highlighted that Jordan “is still bearing the heavy costs and burdens of the refugee communities in our midst,” urging the international community not to leave the most vulnerable behind.
The forum was co-convened by Jordan, Colombia, France, Japan, and Uganda, and co-hosted by Switzerland and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
“As serious crises compete for international attention, the plight of refugees and their host countries has taken a backseat. But this is a lapse that the international community can ill afford,” King Abdullah said.
He stressed the significant burden Jordan bears, hosting nearly 4 million refugees, including approximately 1.4 million Syrians, which is over a third of its 11 million population, Jordan News Agency reported.
While welcoming refugees has become an integral part of Jordan’s national identity, the king said, “Jordanians have been increasingly feeling that the world is turning its backs on them as refugee hosts.”
He expressed concern over the international community’s diminishing focus on refugee issues, warning against the pitfalls of short-term solutions. He drew attention to the ongoing crisis in Gaza, where over 1.9 million Palestinians, many of whom are refugees, are facing displacement due to Israel’s relentless bombing campaign.
Another critical issue King Abdullah raised was Jordan’s water crisis, exacerbated by the refugee influx and climate change. He cited a mega-project for desalinating Red Sea water to alleviate the water shortage, stressing the dire need for sustainable solutions.
King Abdullah also highlighted the severe funding shortfall for key agencies like the World Food Programme and UNHCR, which has led to a drastic reduction in services such as cash assistance, education, and healthcare. This has resulted in a significant increase in food insecurity among refugees.
He continued: “International partners are essential, and our response plan for the Syrian refugee crisis has been world-recognized, yet, it has never been fully funded.
“Indeed, international funding to meet pledges has been steadily declining. So far this year, we only received around 22 percent of the response plan’s needs …
“The rest is covered through Jordan’s national budget. This has raised the challenge of additional expenditures and placed even more pressure on our strained resources, especially water, as we struggle to cope with the dual impact of the refugee crisis and climate change.
“We recognize that this is a long-term commitment that we are undertaking on behalf of the international community,” the king said
“And likewise, the international community cannot resort to short-term solutions and move on to the next crisis,” he added.
