Schulze in Jordan: Aid pledges for refugees
Germany has promised Jordan additional aid for the care of refugees and to alleviate the water crisis in the Arab country. "Jordan's humanitarian and political commitment is central to peace in the Middle East," said Development Minister Svenja Schulze, who held talks with government representatives in the Jordanian capital Amman on Monday. "The country's role as a mediator is invaluable - and not just today." In addition, developing countries such as Jordan shoulder most of the world's refugee intake.
The SPD politician announced that Germany would support Jordan with additional funds of 41 million euros and a loan of 125 million euros. The kingdom plans to start building a seawater desalination plant on the Red Sea in 2024.
Trip planned for some time
The minister's trip had already been planned before the bloodbath by Islamist Hamas in Israel on October 7 and the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip. Jordan has repeatedly taken in hundreds of thousands of refugees over the past decades. A large part of the population has Palestinian roots. Their families fled to the kingdom during the Middle East wars of 1948 and 1967. Many Iraqis and Syrians have also found refuge in Jordan. The population has doubled since 2005 to more than eleven million people.
Jordan's King Abdullah II has described the military offensive in the Gaza Strip as a "war crime". Large protest rallies were held in Jordanian cities. The churches in the country, which maintains diplomatic relations with Israel, canceled all Christmas activities and celebrations. The mobile phone operator Zein replaced its logo on users' cell phones with "Gaza".
According to the state news agency Petra, the Jordanian air force dropped medical supplies over a Jordanian military hospital in the Gaza Strip on Monday night. Jordan and Egypt have made it clear that they will not take in any refugees from the Gaza Strip. This also has to do with the concern that this could ultimately become a permanent expulsion.
Another focus of Schulze's trip is the migration of skilled workers. In order to give more qualified workers from Jordan a future in Germany, she plans to open a center for labor mobility in Amman on Tuesday.
The additional aid announced by Germany, including funds and a loan, is to support Jordan's efforts in managing its large refugee population and addressing the water crisis. Given Jordan's historical role as a refugee host nation, with many Palestinians, Iraqis, and Syrians finding shelter there, development aid is crucial for the country's ongoing migration management.
Source: www.dpa.com
