UN humanitarian chief: International community must increase support to Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan [EN/AR]

(Amman, 20 September 2015): UN humanitarian chief Stephen O’Brien has called on the international community to urgently increase support to Syrian refugees in Jordan and the local communities hosting them.

“The international community has been generous over the past years in responding to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and the region. But a disproportionate burden has fallen on the neighbouring countries. This includes Jordan which has kept its borders open for millions of people seeking sanctuary from the brutality of the war,” said Mr. O’Brien at the end of his first official visit to Jordan as UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

“Syria’s neighbours are reaching the point where the rest of the world urgently must share more of the responsibility in responding to the humanitarian needs created by the Syria crisis and support the most vulnerable people,” Mr. O’Brien said.

There are nearly 630,000 Syrian refugees registered in Jordan. On Saturday, Mr. O’Brien visited refugees in the Za’atari camp - Jordan’s largest - which hosts 80,000 refugees. He also met with a family in Marka.

“I met Omar in the Za’atari camp who hopes to become a football player. Children will always have dreams for the future even in the most difficult of circumstances. Omar and millions of other Syrian refugees haven’t given up hope. We cannot give up on them either,” Mr. O’Brien said after visiting the camp.

The UN coordinates the international response for humanitarian and developmental support both inside Syria and in the neighbouring countries. The regional plan addresses both refugees and affected local communities. However, the needs generated by the Syria crisis are outpacing the generous funding received so far. For 2015, the humanitarian community appeals for US$7.4 billion, but only 38 percent of the essential funding has been received so far.