Open-border policy to continue — premier

AMMAN — Jordan will continue its open-border policy and is proud of its humanitarian role towards the refugee crisis, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said Monday.

However, he stressed that security concerns top all other concerns.

Ensour made his remarks during a visit he paid to a centre accredited by the Canadian Embassy in Amman to have a first-hand look at the procedures followed to transfer Syrian refugees to Canada in cooperation with international agencies and the UNHCR.

The premier praised the Canadian government’s gesture to receive Syrian refugees, calling on other international governments to follow suit, especially those governments that call on Syria’s neighbouring countries to host more refugees, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Ensour was accompanied by Interior Minister Salameh Hammad, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani and Canadian Ambassador to Jordan Bruno Saccomani. 

The prime minister stressed that what Jordan is bearing in hosting refugees cannot be handled by many major countries, Petra added.

In this regard, he noted that the Kingdom’s policy is in accordance with the state values and the Hashemites’ history. 

The premier listened to a briefing on the procedures followed in selecting refugees to be transferred to Canada, with priority given to families without supporters and orphaned children, Petra reported, noting that a total of 1,000 Syrians have moved to Canada so far.