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Ammon News - A Jordanian delegation, headed by Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nasser Shraideh, has taken part in the 6th Brussels Conference on supporting the future of Syria and the region, hosted by the European Union.

According to a statement by the ministry on Thursday, Shraideh said that international donors pledged $6.7 billion to support war-torn Syria and neighboring countries hosting millions of Syrian refugees for the years 2022 and 2023 and beyond.

"The European Union and its member states pledged about €4.8 billion of the total of these pledges, and the United States pledged $807 million, while international financial institutions pledged $1.8 billion in loans for 2022," he said.

The minister pointed to the participants’ appreciation of Jordan as a refugee-hosting country, where they called on the international community to support all host communities while affirming their countries' positions on the voluntary and safe return of Syrian refugees.

The sessions were chaired by High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, as well as Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi.

The overarching objective of the Brussels Conferences is to continue supporting the Syrian people in Syria and the region, and mobilize the international community in support of a comprehensive and credible political solution to the Syrian conflict, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

On the sidelines of the Conference, the minister held separate meetings with a number of EU officials and participating delegations.

During a meeting with Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi, the minister delivered a briefing on Jordan’s economic performance in light of the post-covid economic and social challenges, as well as the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.

Talks during the meeting also tackled means of cementing ties between Jordan and the EU, in addition to the 2021–2024 European aid program for Jordan.

The two officials also discussed Jordan’s €25 million share in the European Commission's resilience-boosting initiative (Food and Resilience Facility) to address short and medium term needs of the Southern Neighborhood.

Shraideh expressed his appreciation to the EU for its continuous support for Jordan, through contributing to the implementation of reform and development programs, financing programs and projects in priority sectors, as well as the pledges made to support the Aqaba-Amman desalination and water transport project with an amount of €1 billion in grants and investment loans.

The minister also met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, to discuss the consequences of the Syrian refugee crisis on economic sectors, including public services, infrastructure, resources and labor market.

Also, Shraideh discussed with Slovenian Minister of State for Development, Stanislav Rascan, ways to enhance bilateral cooperation.

For their part, European officials commended Jordan for its important role in the region, expressing appreciation for the Kingdom for hosting the refugees, and their understanding of the various financial and sectorial challenges and requirements. They stressed that the Syrian crisis will remain a priority on the agenda of the international community at a time when the world is facing new developments represented by the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.