Husein Al-Jaghbeir writes: Speed up in a move towards the refugee file

Alanbat - Husein Al-Jaghbeir

Translated by Feryal Altamimi

UNHCR confirmed in a recent quarterly assessment that Syrian refugees are in a very poor financial situation. More than 1 million Syrians are in Jordan, not to mention those in Lebanon, Turkey and foreign countries whose host countries require substantial support in order to ensure that these refugees' needs are secured.

In Jordan, there are many international agreements signed to provide support to Syrian brothers in the Kingdom. Under these agreements, States have undertaken obligations. However, with more than 12 years of events in Syria, Jordan's international response has not exceeded the 9% mark.

In the context of the international situation, especially after the Russian-Ukrainian war, Western support for Jordan has declined in this direction, and Jordan remains alone in facing the burden of hosting Syrians in a difficult economic, water and service situation in the Kingdom. The West escapes its commitments and no longer cares about the agreements signed with Jordan. It merely expresses praise for Jordan's role. This is a talk that does not give or delay. It has many failures for the State that has embraced those fleeing the war in Syria and provided them with shelter, food and employment opportunities at the expense of the people themselves.

As the grim landscape continues, there is no hope that those countries will return to their commitments. The Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was clear in recent press statements when he stressed that the infrastructure was not conducive to the return of Syrians to Syria, that implies that this idea is not welcomed, as we all know the living situation of Syrian siblings at home and the scarcity of employment opportunities for them. That is, the refugees' stay outside Syria is less harmful to the Syrian regime than their return.

I believe that Jordan must continue to press the world to ensure the flow of aid, in an effort to alleviate the burden placed on this country, which is already suffering from difficult financial and economic conditions.

If the world does not commit itself, the agreements signed with international organizations must be reviewed, and it does us no harm to cancel them, especially since the other party is never bound by them. In addition, pressure must also be placed on the Syrian regime to assist in the refugees' return to their home State.

Jordan cannot bear any more burdens, and the people cannot bet on the outside world, an equation that a clear Jordanian strategy must deal with because we lose so much if it stays the same today. A decisive Jordanian step must be taken in this direction so that it may be a wake-up call that returns the world to its responsibilities that it has renounced, leaving countries that are drowning in the sea of asylum, headed by the Kingdom.