Japanese official: Jordan's hosting of Syrian refugees a "noble" endeavor
26-05-2013 07:18 PM
Ammon News - MAFRAQ (Petra) – A top Japanese official said on Sunday that Tokyo is fully aware of the enormous pressures placed on Jordan due to an ongoing exodus of Syrian refugees into the resource-poor Kingdom. Speaking during a tour of the Zaatari refugee camp in northern Jordan, Japanese Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Suzuki Syunichi noted "the humanitarian and tolerant spirit" displayed by the Kingdom as it continues to take in refugees from its northern neighbour.
He pledged that Japan would "seriously" offer more support to the efforts of the refugee-host nations and humanitarian organisations, adding that he recognized the "noble" stand of the Jordanian government and people.
Syunichi said Tokyo had donated $80 million in aid to the United Nations and to countries hosting Syrian refugees, $30 million of which went to Jordan, adding that the Japanese government would decide on how to offer more support to the Kingdom.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR representative in Jordan Andrew Harper and UNICEF Representative Dominique Hyde briefed the Japanese official on services available at Zaatari and efforts being made to provide a decent living for the refugees.