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Minister Waszczyszkowski pays visit to Jordan

PR dla Zagranicy
Alicja Baczyńska 26.07.2016 08:30
Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski paid a visit to the Kingdom of Jordan on Monday, “in a gesture of solidarity” with a country now home to some 1.3 million Syrian refugees.
Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski (L) and his Jordanian counterpart, Nasser Judeh (R), during a meeting in Amman. Photo: PAP/Jakub KamińskiPolish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski (L) and his Jordanian counterpart, Nasser Judeh (R), during a meeting in Amman. Photo: PAP/Jakub Kamiński

During the visit, Waszczykowski met with his opposite number, Nasser Judeh to hold talks on bilateral collaboration, security in the Middle East alongside shoring up Jordan’s efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the country’s large refugee population.

Waszczykowski’s trip is first and foremost “a gesture of solidarity with the Jordanian authorities and the kingdom’s citizens, who host refugees from countries such as Syria and Iraq,” said ministry spokesperson Rafał Sobczak ahead of the visit.

Syrian refugees alone number 1.26 million people in a population of 9.5 million, according to Jordan’s latest census figures.

Foreign
Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski (L) hands over gifts to the youngest Syrian and Iraqi refugees at the headquarters of the Caritas organisation in the outskirts of Amman. Photo: PAP/Jakub Kamiński

“Jordan has taken on an enormous burden, offering shelter to people fleeing war-torn territories,” Minister Waszczykowski said in the capital of Amman on Monday. The kingdom “has showed that it is a responsible and reliable member of the international community. It is our duty to support the Jordanian leadership and society in pursuing this noble cause,” the minister added.

The Polish minister also commended Jordan’s efforts towards bringing stability and peace in the Middle East. He mentioned The King Abdullah II Special Operations Center in Amman, where 12 Poles are currently serving as part of Poland’s involvement in the US-led counter-terrorist coalition.

The Polish foreign minister also met with refugees and representatives of non-governmental organisations providing help to the displaced. The minister had brought with him on board the governmental plane sleeping bags, personal hygiene items and school appliances, with plans to purchase more items in Jordan and hand them over to several hundred of the families most in need.

Photo:
Photo: PAP/Jakub Kamiński
Since 2012, Poland has earmarked nearly EUR 12 mln towards humanitarian and development help for people affected by the armed conflict in Syria.
Warsaw intends to further boost aid provided to refugees and local communities of countries hosting the displaced as a result of war, increasing aid to PLN 34 mln (EUR 7.8 mln). (aba)

Source: PAP

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