The UN Migration Agency (IOM), the European Union (EU) and the Jordanian Armed Forces this week (19/09) launched a project supporting border management in Jordan. The project funded by the EU Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace will support the Jordanian authorities in improving security and facilitating humanitarian assistance at the north-eastern border with Syria.
Jordan plays a key role in enforcing and maintaining security in the region. Its border with Syria is 378 kilometers long, comprised of mostly desert and rough terrain. The crisis in Syria has increased the pressure on the infrastructure and human resources at the border, especially in light of the generosity of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in receiving refugees and facilitating humanitarian assistance across the borders to Syrians in need.
Stakeholders from the UN Migration Agency (IOM), the European Union (EU) and the Jordanian Armed Forces pose for a photo during the launch of a border management in Jordan.
Since 2013, through EU support, IOM has deployed 82 vehicles to transport Syrian refugees from the border, giving preference to vulnerable cases, including those needing medical attention. Seventy out of these 82 vehicles have been donated to the Jordanian Armed Forces to be used in the humanitarian operations at the border, while seven vehicles will support the activities of the Ministry of Health and the last remaining five were donated to an NGO supporting education.
IOM had deployed these vehicles to support the humanitarian assistance at the borders and contributed to various health and registration campaigns, in coordination with all the UN agencies working at the border. To boost the humanitarian efforts of the Jordanian border authorities, IOM has provided trainings on humanitarian laws and principles to officers and staff deployed at the borders.
Through this new EU-funded project, IOM will provide technical support to the Jordanian border authorities by establishing border posts, allowing them to respond to humanitarian and security challenges at the north-eastern border with Syria in a timely manner. Capacity building, training and roundtable discussions will be organized to tackle the immediate and long-term concerns and challenges resulting from the crisis. In addition, the project will fund a series of roundtable discussions to support the debate in Jordan around the international Global Compact on Migration and support the national consultation around the same.
“The European Union is committed to support the Jordanian Armed Forces to provide humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people at the Berm while at the same time maintaining their primary task of protecting the borders of Jordan,” said Andrea Fontana, Ambassador of the EU to Jordan.
Original source: IOM.
Posted on 22 September 2017
