(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency) Jordan on Tuesday launched an appeal to world donors to finance the Jordan Response Plan (JRP) 2015 for the Syrian crisis, which needs an estimated funding of about $3 billion.
During a speech at the opening of the Third International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria, currently being held in Kuwait, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, head of the Jordanian delegation to the meeting, said that the JRP had set forth the burdens being borne by Jordan and evaluated the needs of both refugees and hosting communities alike.
Ensour added, "It is a sad reality that at this point in time, there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel for the Syrian crisis. This means that Jordan and neighbouring countries will continue to endure the negative consequences of the crisis longer than was anticipated. Moreover, we must acknowledge that in case of any possible solution to the crisis, Syria's ability to rebuild and ensure return of the refugees will take a long time." He noted that Jordan hosts around 1.4 million Syrians, who now account for 20 percent of the Kingdom's population, which made it the third largest host country for refugees worldwide.
"As the Syrian crisis enters its fifth year, I must stress that Jordan has exhausted its resources to the maximum level; its infrastructure has deteriorated to its limit; public services have regressed a great deal; and as of now, Jordan is unable to maintain its own peoples' standards of living," the premier told the gathering.
Ensour expressed his appreciation for all the support Jordan had received during 2014, which totaled $854 million, but only represented 38 percent of the required funds, estimated at $2.28 billion by the United Nations and the Government of Jordan.
The prime minister warned as "catastrophic" the consequences of JRP not receiving the needed funding, not only for refugees, but also for Jordanian host communities, as it could indirectly fuel extremism and terrorism. He pointed out that Jordan is at the forefront of the battle against both.
"It is not fair for Jordan to carry the burden alone, whereby we are left alone and forced to take difficult decisions," Ensour said.
He also urged the international community, donors , UN agencies and IFIs to devise and contribute to innovative concessional financing instruments in order to meet the unique needs of middle income countries impacted by conflict and fragility.
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