Fakhoury meets with US Congress delegation

AMMAN — Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury on Saturday met with a delegation from the US Congress currently visiting Jordan to review the condition of the Syrian refugees and their impact on the Kingdom’s services and host communities.

During the meeting, Fakhoury briefed the delegates on the “exceptional challenges” Jordan is facing including the repercussions of hosting the large number of Syrian refugees, according to a statement from the planning ministry. 

He noted that Jordan is continuing on its path towards reform, achieving economic development and prosperity for its people, enhancing its resilience and transforming challenges into economic opportunities by preserving economic stability, according to the statement.

The planning minister said that Jordan has already reached its maximum limits of shouldering the burdens of hosting Syrian refugees, noting the importance of keeping the momentum of supporting the Kingdom and of increasing the amount of aid to enable the country to continue providing “high quality services” to both the refugees and the host communities.

Fakhoury stressed the importance of this support to uphold the “resilience” of Jordan, citing investment in the Kingdom as an essential way to bridge the financial gap in the public budget, read the statement.

He expressed Jordan’s appreciation for the US people and government for their continuous support especially over the past few years in light of the increasing burdens caused by the refugee crisis.  

The minister stressed the “deep rooted” relations between Jordan and the US in several fields, the strategic partnerships between them and His Majesty King Abdullah’s efforts to strengthen the ties between the two countries.

For their part, the delegates expressed their understanding of the exceptional challenges Jordan is facing, and stressed their country’s respect for the Kingdom’s “pivotal role” in the region. They also commended the reform efforts exerted under the leadership of King Abdullah, concluded the statement.