Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - 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.

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.

“Jordan’s Partnership with the European Union and the United Nations/IOM has proved to be instrumental in sustaining the Jordan’s Armed Forces-Arab Army humanitarian role and helps the JAF to provide assistance to the Syrians across the borders. As JAF is appreciative for the IOM support, we look forward to continue and increase the level of cooperation with both the EU and the UN organizations to alleviate some of the pressure on the infrastructure and human resources on the borders,” said Mahmoud Freihat, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“The balance between security and humanitarian assistance is a priority and a necessity,” said Enrico Ponziani, Chief of Mission of IOM in Jordan. “Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, the EU and IOM have partnered to support the Government of Jordan in maintaining international humanitarian standards related to border management. This new EU funding is essential to continue the fruitful cooperation established through these years,” said Ponziani.

The launching of the project took place at the Jordan Armed Forces Hotel in Amman, under the patronage of Lieutenant General Mahmoud Freihat, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in the presence of Jordanian Armed Forces high-ranking officers, the Ambassadors of Member States of the EU and representatives of several UN agencies.

*International Organization for Migration