jordan pulse -
Jordan hosts over 3.7 million refugees from more than 40 countries, making one-third of its population refugees, according to the UNHCR, which views "Jordan's resilience" as being tested amid various challenges.
World Refugee Day, observed on Thursday, comes as Jordan believes the international community has abandoned Syrian refugees, with dwindling funding for their support in host countries.
As of June 4, 2024, Jordan is home to 702,768 registered refugees from all nationalities except Palestinian refugees, who are under the mandate of UNRWA. The number of Palestinian refugees in Jordan registered with UNRWA is about 2.4 million. The Department of Palestinian Affairs recognizes 13 refugee camps in Jordan, but UNRWA acknowledges only ten.
Jordan also hosts over 52,000 Iraqi refugees registered with UNHCR and over 1.3 million Syrians since the start of the Syrian crisis in 2011, including more than 631,000 Syrians registered with UNHCR. Additionally, there are 12,698 Yemenis, 4,922 Sudanese, and 486 Somalis, as of June 4, 2024.
##One-Third of the Population
A recent UNHCR Global Trends report, reviewed by "Al Mamlaka," indicates that the ratio of refugees and others needing international protection to Jordan's population is 1:16, based on official UNHCR figures.
The report adds that Lebanon remains the top refugee-hosting country globally per capita, with the government estimating 1.5 million Syrians (about 785,000 registered with UNHCR). When adding 492,800 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and 2.4 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan registered with UNRWA, the ratios in Lebanon and Jordan rise to one in three, meaning one-third of the population in both countries are refugees.
##Abandonment by the International Community
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi expressed his frustration over the decline in international support for Syrian refugees and their host countries, describing this decline as "extremely dangerous."
At the "Eighth Brussels Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region" in Belgium, Safadi stated that Jordan has done everything possible to provide security and dignity for nearly 1.3 million Syrian refugees. He noted that the international community has abandoned Syrian refugees as funding to support them in host countries has diminished.
A report titled "Social and Economic Conditions of Refugees in Jordan: Needs Assessment Framework: 2024 Population Study" by UNHCR stated that thirteen years into the Syrian crisis, Jordan remains at the center of an ongoing humanitarian challenge, hosting one of the largest Syrian refugee populations relative to its total population of 11.32 million.
The report emphasized that Jordan's resilience is being tested amid ongoing social and economic challenges and increasing security concerns in the region.
##Successive Waves
Jordan has received waves of refugees from Libya in the 1920s, followed by Palestinian, Iraqi, and Syrian refugees at various times, in addition to other nationalities.
A research paper by the Tamkeen Fields for Aid, issued on World Refugee Day, called on the Jordanian government to sign the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol.
Jordan signed a cooperation memorandum with UNHCR on January 24, 1991, stipulating that the kingdom is a temporary host for Iraqi refugees.
On May 4, 1998, a comprehensive memorandum of understanding was signed between the Jordanian government and UNHCR, adopting a definition of "refugee" similar to that in the 1951 Refugee Convention. It reflected Jordan's commitment to international refugee protection, including the principle of non-refoulement and recognizing refugees' rights, such as access to justice, employment, and the freedom to practice their religion without discrimination.
In 2013, Jordan and UNHCR signed a cooperation agreement aimed at increasing Jordan's capacity to accommodate Syrian refugees, providing logistical and financial support to help manage the refugee camps.