KFAED delegation in Amman to assess Syrian refugees\' needs

A delegation from Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) is currently in Amman and meeting officials and representatives of a number of state and aid organizations, for a better assessment of the needs of Syrian refugees in Jordan. KFAED Economic Advisor Tareq Al-Mnayyes told KUNA, Thursday, "the delegation was on a tour to assess the needs of the refugees and the pressure on resources in the host country," to guide expenditure in the framework of the already pledged aid sum of USD 50 million. The delegation so far met with minister of planning and international cooperation, minister of municipal affairs, minister of education, secretary of the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization, and representatives of the UN Development Programme and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The Kuwaiti delegation also met officials at the Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps, he said. Al-Mnayyes remarked that the meeting with ministry of planning officials focused on infrastructure and social services projects that cater to the refugees. The projects to be executed are to be concentrated in the northern regions of Jordan, which is where the majority of the communities hosting the refugees are. The meetings revealed that the suffering is more acute for those outside the refugee camps, he added, and this is partly due to the greater numbers compared to the number of those housed at the camps. The fund intends to carry out projects to ease pressure on the country''''s resources and services as a result of the mass influx of Syrians fleeing the bloody war in their own country. The official pointed out the USD 50 million is part of the country''''s overall grant of USD 500 million in aid of the Syrian refugees, and was allotted for projects in countries hosting refugees, most particularly Jordan and Lebanon. The ratio according to which the sum is to be divided between the two countries is still to be determined, he added, pending full review of priorities and corresponding projects.