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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Minister of Water and Irrigation, Hazem al-Nasser, on Monday, said a $750-million plan the ministry has adopted for the years 2015-2017 seeks to sustain water resources by focusing on finding new resources in cooperation with Arab and donor countries.

He said the plan entails the drilling of new wells and introducing mobile waste treatment stations according to the highest standards to serve the refugee communities.

Speaking at a national water conference organized in cooperation with the UNICEF and Oxfam, the minister said Jordan's water sector received only $18 million in the form of grants from international donors for the years 2013-2014.

He said the conference seeks to shed light on challenges facing the Kingdom's water resources amid a rising demand triggered mainly by a massive influx of Syrian refugees fleeing the raging war in their country.

Water per capita share dropped to less than 123 cubic meters a year, the minister noted, adding that demand has surged by more than 22 percent nationwide and 40 percent in the northern region.

Oxfam Country Director in Jordan Geoffrey Poynter said, the refugees plight caused by the crisis in their country is unprecedented, while host countries bear the brunt, including Jordan.

Poynter added the international community is required to think up long-term solutions to meet the needs of the Syrian refugees and host communities as well. Robert Jenkins, the UNICEF representative, said Jordan, despite being one of the poorest world countries in water resources, is making tremendous efforts to serve the refugees, pledging that the international body will support a national plan to address the Syrian refugees crisis.

*Petra