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European Parliament2014-2019
Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries
22.5.2017
MISSION REPORTFollowing the DMAS mission to Jordan from 22-24
May 2017
Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries
Members of the mission:Marisa Matias (GUE/NGL) (Chair of the
Delegation)Gilles Pargneaux (S&D) (Vice-Chair of the
Delegation)Francesc Gambus (PPE)Javier Nart (ALDE)Miguel Viegas
(GUE/NGL)
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1. Introduction
Five members of the Delegation for relations with the Mashreq
countries (DMAS), led by its ChairMarisa Matias, conducted a
mission to Jordan from 22 to 24 May 2017. The mission took place
inthe framework of the 8th interparliamentary meeting of the
European Parliament and the JordanianParliament (Lower House and
Senate). The overall purpose of the visit was to strengthen
bilateralrelations between the two parliamentary bodies and to
focus on Jordan’s most urgent needs for EUfunding, with a
particular focus on responding to the refugee crises as part of
bilateral cooperationunder the renewed European Neighbourhood
Policy. Members also availed themselves of theopportunity to
examine refugee camps for Syrians and Palestinians operated by the
United NationsHigh Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United
Nations Relief and Works Agency forPalestine Refugees (UNRWA), both
heavily affected by the Syrian crisis.
Throughout the three days of work, the DMAS delegation took part
in:
a. Two briefing sessions with the EU delegation to Jordan (staff
based in Amman);b. An audience with King Abdullah II bin Al
Hussein;c. Six official meetings with ministers and
parliamentarians;d. Four field visits, including private exchanges
with refugees and on-site briefings with
UNRWA, UNHCR, UNICEF, NGOs and CSOs etc.;e. A visit to the
EU-funded LUMINUS project;f. A visit to the UN Umm el-Jimal
project;g. Receptions with Member States’ Heads of Mission and
Heads of UN agencies, hosted
by the EU Ambassador to Jordan;h. One press conference and two
press statements issued.
Prior to the mission, the EU, the governments of Germany,
Kuwait, Norway, Qatar and the UnitedKingdom and the UN co-chaired
the Brussels Conference on ‘Supporting the future of Syria andthe
region’ that took place on 5 April 2017. The aim was to bring
together ministerialrepresentatives from 70 delegations, including
from the EU, the international community, the UN,civil society and
humanitarian organisations to reconfirm the international
community’scommitment to continue to deliver humanitarian and
financial assistance to Syrians in need, aswell as to their host
communities.
Ahead of the mission, a briefing meeting was organised on 17 May
2017 in Strasbourg withparticular emphasis on the political and
socio-economic situation in Jordan.
During their official meetings, Jordanian ministers and
parliamentarians called for:
a) further financial support from the EU and the international
community to addressJordan’s severely disrupted economy
b) further relaxation of the rules of origin in order to make it
easier for Jordanian exportersto access the EU market and to
improve Jordan’s trade balance
c) the EU and the international community to help find a
sustainable political solution tothe Syrian crisis
d) the EU to play a stronger role in reviving the Middle East
Peace Process and inpromoting a two-state solution as the only
solution for putting an end to the Israel-Palestine conflict
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e) the EU and the international community to stand together to
develop a holistic approachto counter radicalisation, extremism and
terrorism.
During almost all of the official meetings, Jordanian
interlocutors underlined that regionalunrest and instability in
neighbouring countries (in particular Syria and Iraq, Jordan’s
majortrading partners before the crises) had adversely affected the
Jordanian economy. The arrivalof 460 000 Syrian refugees since the
outbreak of the Syrian crisis in 2011 had placed asignificant
strain on the country’s fiscal position and resources1. A decline
in exports coupledwith a dramatic decrease in volumes of tourism,
trade and foreign direct investment had allaffected Jordan’s public
finances negatively. In order to mitigate the risk of social
unrest, theJordanian Government increased public spending, which in
turn aggravated the country’s fiscaldeficit.
In relation to the Syrian conflict, Jordanian ministers stressed
that only a Syrian-led politicaltransition process in line with UN
Security Council Resolution 2254 and the Genevacommuniqué could put
an end to the conflict.
Moreover, Jordanian parliamentarians expressed serious concerns
about increased hostility onthe part of the Gulf States towards
Iran that had triggered growing sectarian rivalry in an
alreadyturbulent and fragile region.
On the issue of the unresolved Israeli-Palestine conflict and
the illegitimate occupation of theWest Bank and the Gaza Strip, it
was perceived by all Jordanian interlocutors as the ‘mother ofall
conflicts’ in the Middle East, which kept tensions simmering.
Jordanian ministers called forthe EU to play a stronger role in
mediating between the parties involved in the conflict, takinginto
account the fact that negotiations on a peace agreement have
stalled and requests for atwo-state solution no longer reflect the
reality on the ground.
The DMAS mission was therefore very timely in terms of enabling
Members to carry out theirown assessment of the situation on the
ground both for the refugees and the host communities.
1 According to UNHCR, 660 000 UNHCR-registered Syrian refugees
are currently residing in Jordan (as of 1 June2017). According to a
national census from November 2015, it is estimated that there were
more than 1.2 millionSyrians in Jordan (refugees and Syrians who
were already resident in Jordan before the outbreak of the crises).
This isin addition to 2.2 million UNRWA-registered Palestinian
refugees, 62 000 UNHCR-registered Iraqi refugees, 16 000Palestinian
refugees from Syria and 5 000 refugees from Somalia and Sudan.
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2. Audience with King Abdullah II bin Hussein
The meeting with King Abdullah II bin Hussein took place in
camera. The exchange of viewsfocused mainly on migration and the
refugee crises as well as on security issues, e.g. the urgentneed
to develop a holistic approach to combat terrorism and radical
Islamist influence in theMiddle East in order to resolve the
problem before it develops into a military issue on
Jordan’sdoorstep.
On the issue of Syria, the discussion focused on Jordan’s
contribution to resolving the conflict:while Jordan had been
present in both, the Geneva and Astana processes, it was clear for
thecountry that the political process was taking place in Geneva,
although the efforts towardsde-escalation of the conflict pursued
in Astana could help reinforce the political process.
With a view to the Middle East Peace Process, all interlocutors
agreed on the importance of theimplementation of the two state
solution as the only way to put an end to the
Israeli-Palestineconflict.
3. Political relations
For a long time the EU has enjoyed excellent relations with
Jordan and its stability is ahigh priority for the EU. The EU
considers Jordan an important strategic partner that exercisesa
stabilising role in the Middle East. It is therefore seeking to
strengthen its relations with Jordanto reflect the country’s
increasingly important strategic role in the face of worsening
crises in aregion in turmoil. In relation to the Syrian conflict,
Jordan participated in the Astanaconferences and the UN-led
Intra-Syrian Peace Talks in Geneva (the only Middle Eastcountry
that was invited to both convocations). It also plays a key role in
mediating betweenIsrael and Palestine. It has signed a peace treaty
with Israel and it is key to any future
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agreement between Israel and Palestine. Furthermore, Jordan
substantially contributes to theUS-led coalition in countering
Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.
Despite its location in a turbulent region, Jordan remains a
haven of stability. Jordanianparliamentarians pointed out that any
change in this situation, particularly if it were to threatenthe
monarchy, would further destabilise a region in the throes of an
existential crisis, potentiallytriggering new refugee movements to
Europe.
a) European Neighbourhood Policy and the Association
Agreement
The EU has a long history of political and financial cooperation
with Jordan. The EU and Jordansigned an Association Agreement in
2002, which forms the legal basis for EU-Jordanrelations, providing
a framework for political dialogue and cooperation as well as for
thegradual establishment of a free trade area. This agreement has
been embedded in the frameworkof the European Neighbourhood Policy
(ENP) since 2003, the policy by which the EU seeksto achieve the
closest possible political association and the greatest degree of
economicintegration with its southern neighbours. In October 2010,
Jordan and the EU reached anagreement on an EU-Jordan European
Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan. It outlined a setof new
objectives that supports Jordan’s National Agenda and that focuses
more on politicaldialogue, reform, trade and social issues.
The revised European Neighbourhood Policy was adopted in
November 2015. The revisedpolicy aims at fostering stabilisation,
security and prosperity in order to build a moreeffective
partnership between the EU and Jordan in political, socio-economic
and securityterms1. Strengthening the state and societal resilience
of its partners is a key priority for the EU,in the face of the
threats and pressures they are experiencing, including the
challengesassociated with migration and mobility. In December 2016,
the EU and Jordan adopted theiragreed partnership priorities2. The
latter set up a renewed framework for political engagementand
enhanced cooperation. Both the EU and Jordan agreed on a set of
partnership priorities thatwill govern relations under the European
Neighbourhood Policy until 2018 with a focus onthree priority
areas:
Strengthening cooperation on regional stability and security,
including counterterrorism Promoting economic stability,
sustainable and knowledge-based growth, quality
education and job creation Strengthening democratic governance,
the rule of law and human rights
b) Euro-Mediterranean Partnership
Jordan is also a partner in the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership
(Euromed), one of the keyinitiatives of the European Neighbourhood
Policy, through which the EU offers its neighboursa privileged
relationship, building upon a mutual commitment to common values
(includingdemocracy and human rights, the rule of law, good
governance, market economy principles andsustainable development).
The EU’s ultimate objective with the Association Agreement is
to
1 The revised European Neighbourhood Policy is in line with the
Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign andSecurity
Policy.2 The EU and Jordan adopted their agreed partnership
priorities as well as a compact on 20 December 2016.
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foster the establishment of bilateral free trade with Jordan – a
first step towards creating a widerregional Euro-Mediterranean Free
Trade Area.
Members engaged in an intensive exchange of views with the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, MrAyman Safadi, on the proximity of
the Syrian conflict and the rise of radical jihadist groups,which
have had political and security consequences in Jordan. According
to Mr Safadi, Jordanwas one of the first Arab countries to distance
itself from the Assad Regime, and participatesin the US-led
coalition countering IS in Syria and Iraq and has tripled its
investment in securityforces (in particular deployed at its borders
with Syria). In addition, Jordan has stepped up itsproactive
measures against dormant terror cells within its territory. Mr
Safadi reiterated theneed for both the EU and Jordan to develop a
holistic approach to fight terrorist groups whereverthey occur
geographically. In order to prevent radicalisation and the
recruitment of terrorists,the Minister pointed out that combating
widespread poverty and access to education were thekeys.
Members reiterated that the EU’s cooperation with Jordan in the
field of security was at the topof the agenda within the
partnership priorities, with a specific focus on counterterrorism.
Theyreaffirmed their willingness to follow up on this issue in
Parliament. In line with the globalstrategy of the EU’s foreign and
security policy, Members stressed that the EU had
alreadyconsiderably stepped up its counterterrorism engagement with
countries in the Middle East,including upgrading security and
counterterrorism dialogues. Minister Safadi and Membersagreed that
the fight against violent extremism, radicalisation and
inter-/intra-religiousintolerance are priority issues for both
Jordan and the EU, reflected in an
enhancedsecurity/counterterrorism roadmap1.
As regards the Syrian conflict, Minister Safadi underlined that
Jordan has traditionally enjoyedgood neighbourly relations with
Syria, with which it shares tribal relations. However, shortlyafter
the outbreak of the Syrian crisis in November 2011, the King
already called on PresidentAssad to step down. According to
Minister Safadi, Jordan has cut all diplomatic ties withthe Syrian
regime. Members and Minister Safadi agreed that the Syrian conflict
cannot beresolved by a military solution, but only by a political
transition in line with UN resolution2254, which must be acceptable
for the Syrian people. According to Minister Safadi,Jordan’s
political stance towards the Syrian regime is clear: President
Bashar al-Assad cannotbe part of a solution to the Syrian conflict.
However, he pointed out that Russia’s militaryintervention in Syria
is a reality and that it will play a crucial role in determining
when and howpeace will be implemented in Syria.
During his meeting with Members, Mr Musa Maaytah, Minister of
Political Developmentand Parliamentary Affairs, praised the
excellent relations between the EU and Jordan. Heunderlined that
Jordan substantially benefits from the European Neighbourhood
Policy, inparticular in the priority areas of economic development,
trade, security, energy, theempowerment of young people and women
as well as combating poverty and unemployment,areas, which Jordan
and the EU have agreed to focus on. He underlined that bilateral
relationsbecame even stronger after the outbreak of the Syrian
crisis.
1 The roadmap sets out enhanced cooperation in three specific
areas. The volume of counterterrorism and security-related
bilateral programmes with Jordan currently stands at EUR 35
million.
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Mr Safadi, as well as Mr Khamis Atieh, First Deputy Speaker of
the Lower House ofParliament, and Mr Raed Khazaleh, Head of the
Foreign Affairs Committee of the LowerHouse, raised in particular
the unresolved Israeli-Palestine conflict and pointed out thatthere
is no alternative solution to the conflict but an independent state
for Palestinians.Jordan has traditionally enjoyed a close
relationship with its neighbours, Israel and Palestine.The
long-term stalling of the negotiations on the peace process is an
issue of major concern forthe Jordanian Government. Jordanian
interlocutors explicitly called for the EU to play astronger role
in promoting a two-state solution as the only way to attain
sustainable peaceand stability in the region. Minister Safadi
notably expressed his firm view that injusticesagainst the
Palestinian people are the root cause of the conflicts in the
region. Membersunderlined that the Israel-Palestine conflict is a
key priority of the EU’s foreign policy.However, Members expressed
their serious concerns that the prospects of a two-state
solutionare fading, taking into account the 10 years of the
blockade of the Gaza Strip and the ongoingillegitimate settlements
in the occupied Palestinian territories. In spite of these
constraints,Members reaffirmed their willingness to follow up on
the issue in Parliament.
4. Financial cooperation with Jordan
The instability in Jordan’s neighbouring countries, notably
Syria and Iraq, which led to a hugeinflux of Syrian refugees in
addition to an unfavourable international environment, has
hadserious consequences for Jordan’s economy. A decline in exports
(Syria and Iraq were Jordan’smajor trading partners), a decrease in
income from tourism, which dropped by 7 %, a dramaticshrinkage in
foreign direct investments and disruptions to the natural gas
supply from Egypthave all influenced the country’s fiscal position
negatively. Jordan’s gross debt has now reached93.4 % of GDP. In
the first quarter of 2016, the overall unemployment rate reached
14.6 % witha marked impact on women (23.7 %) and young people (33
%).
For the period from 2014 to 2020, the financial allocation under
the European NeighbourhoodInstrument (ENI) will vary between EUR
587 million and EUR 693 million depending on theprogress made on
democratic and socio-economic reforms by Jordan. The period was
dividedinto two phases, with the first period covering 2014-17 with
financial assistance up to amaximum of EUR 382 million. Support
during the first period will focus on three main areas:reinforcing
the rule of law for enhanced accountability and equity in public
service delivery;employment and private sector development, and
renewable energies and energy efficiency.The EU is also supporting
Jordan in handling, in particular, the impact of the Syrian
crisis.Thus far, it has provided more than EUR 320 million since
2011 in humanitarian, crisisresponse and development support to
help achieve this aim.
In 2013, Parliament and the Council adopted an initial proposal
for macro-financialassistance totalling EUR 180 million (MFA-I),
which was disbursed in 2015.
A first International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme amounting to
USD 2 billion wasagreed between Jordan and the IMF in 2012. In
August 2016, the IMF approved a secondprogramme of USD 723 million.
The arrangement aims at advancing fiscal consolidation tolower
public debt and encourage broad structural reforms.
In spite of the two IMF programmes and the first macro-financial
assistance package from theEU, Jordan’s economic situation
deteriorated further. As a result, the country requested asecond
macro-financial assistance package from the EU in March 2016
(MFA-II) to the
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amount of EUR 200 million, which was approved on 14 December
2016 by the Council andParliament1. Although not providing direct
aid to refugees, the Jordanian Minister ofPlanning and
International Cooperation, Dr Imad Fakhoury, nevertheless
underlined thatsuch financing was indispensable in the overall
context of Jordan’s response to the Syrian crisis.On 14 December
2016, the EU and Jordan adopted the EU-Jordan compact. It foresees
anEU commitment of at least EUR 747 million for 2016-17. The
overall objective of the compactis to improve living conditions,
both for the Syrian refugees in Jordan and vulnerable
hostcommunities. Part of the compact aims at allowing Syrian
refugees to integrate into theJordanian labour market, in exchange
for enhanced international support for Jordan’s economy.It sets out
a vision for mutual commitments on Jordan and the international
community and itforesees the granting of work permits for Syrian
refugees2. In spite of these optimistic plans,the results of the
governmental efforts to roll out work permits are – according to
MinisterFakhoury – quite disappointing: only 32 000 work permits
have been issued to Syrian refugeesso far (50 000 were originally
planned). Minister Fakhoury was sceptical about the feasibilityof
the overall goal of integrating 200 000 Syrian refugees into the
formal Jordanian labourmarket, given that the black labour market
is more attractive for the refugees and many of themare afraid of
losing their social benefits as soon as they are allowed to access
the formal labourmarket.
Another component of the EU-Jordan compact is related to
allowing Syrian refugee childrenaccess to education. As Members
frequently heard, their Jordanian interlocutors articulatedserious
concerns about losing a whole generation of Syrian children. All of
the Jordanianinterlocutors underlined during their meetings with
Members that education for Syrian refugeechildren deserved special
mention. The war in Syria had disrupted the education of a
wholegeneration of children. It was therefore vital that refugee
children in Jordan had access toschools. According to Minister
Fakhoury, a lost generation of Syrian children would not onlycreate
social tensions in Jordan, but they would also be prevented from
playing a role in apost-conflict Syria. In order to tackle this
important issue, Jordan committed to facilitatingaccess to
education for 165 000 Syrian refugee children and to increasing
opportunitiesfor young people from Syria to receive vocational
training.
A third key objective of the EU-Jordan compact is the easing of
the rules of origin forJordanian products3. In July 2016, the EU
and Jordan already agreed to simplify the rules oforigin
requirements for Jordanian products in order to make it easier for
Jordan to export to theEU and to encourage investment4.
To mitigate the impact of the influx of refugees, Jordan has
also benefited from furthersignificant additional EU allocations in
order to help the country to deal with the burdenimposed by the
Syrian conflict. Thus far, the Commission has allocated more than
EUR 950million in assistance to refugees and vulnerable communities
in Jordan since the beginning ofthe Syrian crisis and the
Commission’s humanitarian aid has helped more than 350 000
Syrianrefugees in Jordan. With 83 % of the refugees living in urban
settings, the Commission supports
1 At the Supporting Syria and the Region conference held in
London in February 2016, the EU pledged EUR 2.39 billionto help
countries impacted by the Syrian crisis. The Macro-Financial
Assistance II funding is included in this aid package.2 Work
permits would make it possible for refugees to have a legal income
without breaking the law.3 Rules of origin are the technical
criteria which determine whether a specific product qualifies for
duty-free or otherpreferential access under a given trade
agreement.4 For further details, see Chapter 5.
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the most vulnerable refugees through cash assistance, as this is
considered the most cost-efficient and dignified approach1. This
support package includes:
a) humanitarian aid (EUR 261 million)b) macro-financial
assistance (EUR 380 million)c) European Neighbourhood Instrument
(EUR 170 million)d) Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace
(EUR 33 million)e) EU Regional Trust Fund (Madad) (EUR 141
million)
Members were informed that the Ministry of Planning and
International Cooperation, led byMinister Fakhoury, centralises the
channelling of external aid and coordinates with the
otherMinistries in this respect. This ensures a high level of
professionalisation and efficiency in theJordan-EU partnership.
5. Trade
Jordan is a resource-poor country with limited arable areas. The
economy is driven byfinancial services, tourism, transport,
manufacturing and remittances from Jordaniansworking abroad.
Conflicts in Syria and Iraq and the presence of a high number of
refugeeshave affected economic growth in Jordan negatively. It
declined to less than 2 % in 2016.Prolonged border closures with
Syria and Iraq (since 2014), in addition to a sharp fall in
foreigninvestment and a drop in tourism, further aggravated the
dire state of Jordan’s economy.Unemployment currently stands at
almost 15 %, with joblessness among Jordanian youthapproaching 40
%. The public sector is the largest employer in the kingdom, which
constitutesa particularly heavy burden on public finances and also
exacerbates the fiscal situation. It isestimated that general
government gross debt will climb to 94 % in 2017. Although Jordan
hasmade substantial progress in terms of fiscal consolidation by
implementing adjustmentmeasures taken in the context of the IMF
programme, the overall fiscal balance declined further.Jordan’s
primary commercial partner in terms of total trade volume is the
EU2. However, EUexports to Jordan (EUR 3.99 billion) still far
outweigh Jordanian imports to the EU (EUR384 million). As outlined
by Minister Fakhoury, the Jordanian Government is committed
toimproving the business and investment environment and is taking
forward a detailed plan withmeasures, changes to regulations,
structural reforms and incentives which could be offered inorder to
boost domestic and international businesses – all intended to
redress trade balance. Inthis context, Minister Fakhoury regretted
that the EU-Jordan Association Agreement hadlargely benefited the
EU, hardly bringing any benefits to Jordan.
In an effort to improve Jordan’s trade balance and, in
particular, to enhance Jordan’s exportpotential, the EU and Jordan
agreed in July 2016 to simplify the rules of origin that
Jordanianexporters use in their trade with the EU.
1 During their visit to Zaatari, UNHCR informed Members that
credit cards had already been distributed to the refugees(with a
limit of USD 100 per person per month) which enabled the refugees
to purchase basic goods.2 According to DG Trade, trade in goods
between the EU and Jordan amounted to EUR 4.4 billion in 2015,
making theEU Jordan’s most important trading partner. However,
Jordan’s exports to the EU market – EUR 383 million in 2015
–represent only 0.02 % of total EU imports.
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This initiative forms part of broader EU support for Jordan in
the context of the present Syrianrefugee crisis and is intended to
make it easier for Jordan to export to the EU, to
encourageinvestment and to create jobs both for Jordanians and for
Syrian refugees.
The agreed relaxations in the rules of origin cover a wide range
of manufactured products andinclude both items that Jordan
currently exports in small volumes to the EU and others in
whichthere is currently no trade1.
In spite of these measures, Minister Fakhoury insisted on more
simplified rules of origin toattract new investments and to open up
the EU market (thus creating jobs for both Jordaniansand Syrian
refugees). Minister Fakhoury regretted that the EU-Jordan
Association Agreementhad largely benefited the EU (citing an
increase of USD 4.5 billion for EU exports to Jordan),but had
hardly brought any benefits to Jordan (USD 300 million for
Jordanian exports to theEU). Members reaffirmed that they would
follow up on this issue in Parliament and pushforward a new
initiative aiming at facilitating the rules of origin in order to
redress the EU-Jordan trade balance.
6. Security situation
The proximity of the Syrian conflict and the rise of radical
jihadist groups have had politicaland security consequences in
Jordan. Jordan, which was one of the first Arab countries
todistance itself from the Assad regime, has so far experienced
very few terrorist attacks on itsown soil, but at the cost of major
investments in the security forces (especially at the frontiers)and
in proactive steps against dormant terror cells within the
territory2 .
Jordan participates in the US-led coalition against Islamic
State in Syria and Iraq byallowing the use of its airbases to
launch air strikes, acting as a weapons shipment hub,
trainingUS-backed opposition fighters, hosting troops and by
intelligence sharing. According toForeign Minister Safadi, there
are growing fears that Islamic State may have infiltrated groupsof
Syrian refugees seeking entry into Jordan. In response, Jordan
completely sealed off itsnorthern and eastern borders, following a
suicide bombing on 21 June 2016 that killed severalJordanian border
guards3.
In spite of these measures and investments, a significant number
of Jordanians have joinedSunni militant groups fighting in Syria
and Iraq. Official estimates mention 3 900 Jordanianfighters
joining IS in Syria and Iraq between 2011 and 2016. Jordan is
believed to be thethird-largest contributor of foreign fighters to
IS (after Tunisia and Saudi Arabia). Thesefighters, who acquire
combat experience, pose a high risk to the internal security of the
countryupon their return.
There are also concrete fears that future terror attacks might
deliberately target the Christianminority in Jordan, with the aim
of sparking off sectarian conflict. Jordanian interlocutorshave
also expressed concrete concerns that IS’s violent strain of
Salafism appears to haveinfiltrated Jordan’s tribes, the backbone
of the monarchy.
1 Jordan’s exports are concentrated in a limited number of
sectors, such as clothing, phosphates and
phosphate-basedfertilisers, chemicals, machinery and transport
equipment.2 According to Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, the
investment in the upgrading of the security sector trebled.3 The
Jordanian borders with Syria and Iraq have been de facto closed to
refugees since 2014.
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Perceptions of insecurity owing to terrorist attacks are
particularly damaging to Jordan’s effortsto expand its tourism
sector. According to Minister Fakhoury, the number of visitors
coming toJordan has fallen every year since 2010, the last full
year before the beginning of the civil warin Syria.
During meetings with Minister Fakhoury and Minister Safadi,
Members underlined that theEU’s cooperation with Jordan in the
field of security is a key objective under thepartnership
priorities, with a specific focus on counterterrorism, and
confirmed that theywould follow up on this issue in Parliament. In
line with the global strategy for the EU’s Foreignand Security
Policy, Members stressed that the EU has already stepped up its
counterterrorismengagement with countries in the Middle East
considerably. Both Ministers and Membersagreed that the fight
against terrorism, violent extremism, radicalisation and
inter-/intra-religious intolerance are priority issues for both
Jordan and the EU as reflected by theenhanced
security/counterterrorism roadmap. The level of funding for
counterterrorism andsecurity-related bilateral programmes with
Jordan currently stands at EUR 35 million. In spiteof these
efforts, Members expressed their deep concern that a number of
additional challengesmight occur over the next few years affecting
Jordan’s resilience, with a combination ofdomestic and regional
factors presenting increased risks in terms of its stability
anddevelopment.
7. Situation of refugees in Jordan
Jordan hosts an estimated 1.3 million Syrians, of whom 660 000
are UNHCR-registeredrefugees, a number equal to 10 % of the
country’s total population of around 6.6 millionJordanians, in
addition to 2 million UNRWA-registered Palestinian refugees (the
vast majorityof whom are in possession of Jordanian citizenship).
An estimated two out of three Syrianrefugees live below the poverty
line. 93 % of all Syrian refugees do not live in camps, butamong
Jordan’s communities. Approximately 51 % of all Syrian refugees
residing in Jordanare children, 18 % of whom are under the age of
five. The presence of such a high number ofrefugees has placed a
strain on Jordan’s resources, public services, security and
infrastructure,including access to water, food, education, health
care, sanitation and housing. Havingexhausted their savings,
refugees have grown increasingly vulnerable, struggling to
affordessentials such as food, rent and healthcare.
Jordan has long called on its Western allies to help set up
buffer zones, to provide safeareas on the Syrian side of the border
where international refugee camps could potentiallybe set up and
humanitarian aid provided, to ease the pressure on Jordan’s
population. In themeantime, the Jordanian Government has put
forward the creation of a buffer zone as Jordan’sonly alternative,
should the international community fail to adequately share the
burden ofhosting Syrian refugees. A de-facto ‘buffer’ zone has in
the meantime emerged in thedisputed no-man’s land between Syria and
Jordan, called the ‘berm’. Following the closureof the Jordanian
border to Syrian refugees in 2015, a growing number of refugees,
estimated tohave reached more than 60 000, set up this camp in the
middle of the desert along the Syrianand Jordanian border, hundreds
of miles from the nearest city in an area with no access to
water,food or medical care. The area is currently a closed military
zone. According to the JordanianGovernment, the camp has been
infiltrated by ISIS and aid workers are not allowed to go
there.With only limited food supplies getting through, some
children are in danger of starving. This
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camp has become one of the biggest and most desperate refugee
settlements in the region.Amnesty International highlighted the
refugees’ plight in a report, describing the situation atthe berm
as ‘a grim snapshot of the consequences of the world’s abject
failure to shareresponsibility for the global refugee crisis’. In
the face of international criticism, Jordan hasdefended its
decision not to allow the refugees stranded at the berm into the
country and hasinvited other countries to offer them resettlement
opportunities.
Apart from their dire living conditions, Syrian refugees in
Jordan suffer from the absence of aclear legal status. Jordan did
not sign the 1951 Geneva Convention related to the status
ofrefugees. A memorandum of understanding between the Jordanian
Government and theUNHCR, signed in 1998 and amended in April 2014,
defines what is meant by ‘refugee’ andconfirms adherence to the
principle of non-refoulement and third country resettlement. It
allowsa maximum (renewable) stay of one year. In Jordan, the UNHCR
administers three mainrefugee camps, the biggest one being Zaatari,
situated 10 km from the Syrian border (80 000people).
Access to work for Syrian refugees is generally heavily
restricted in Jordan. Theunemployment rates among refugees are far
higher than for Jordanians owing to certainrestrictions, e.g. the
need for the presentation of a passport and proof of legal entry
into thecountry, which many Syrians lack. These restrictions, which
combine to give rise to theaforementioned legal vulnerability, lead
most Syrians to work in the black market, mainlyin the agriculture
and construction sectors – jobs that the majority of Jordanians
would notaccept. In order to facilitate access to the formal labour
market for Syrian refugees, theJordanian Government has taken
measures aimed at granting work permits for Syrian
refugees.However, as already alluded to, the results of the
government’s efforts to issue work permitshave been disappointing:
only 35 000 out of 50 000 permits were distributed in
2016.According to Minister Fakhoury, the government’s aim is to
grant 200 000 work permitsfor Syrians in 2017 (following the
government’s commitment in the EU-Jordan compact).However, Minister
Fakhoury pointed out that the regularisation of work is
notparticularly attractive to Syrian refugees, as they fear
becoming less competitive thanother Syrians, losing benefits from
UN agencies as well as the chance to go to a thirdcountry1.
Through the Regional Refugees and Resilience Plan 2016-17, the
Jordanian Government andthe international community seek to address
the needs of the most vulnerable Syrian refugeesthrough
humanitarian and ‘resilience-based’ interventions. The emphasis is
on predictable,long-term funding and programming2.
a.) Visit to the Zaatari refugee camp
1 In this context, Jordanian ministers stressed that the strain
of the ongoing refugee crisis on host communities hasalready led to
public discontent and growing frustration. The influx of large
numbers of people exacerbates certainchallenges, which Jordan has
faced for many years, in particular increased competition for jobs.
To address thesechallenges, Jordan will continue to depend on
external assistance. In this context, creating job opportunities
for Syrianrefugees without discriminating against Jordanians will
be one of the key policy objectives over the next few years.2 The
new approach introduces modern technologies (biometrics for refugee
registration). It also foresees extendedprovision of cash for
refugees with which they can buy their own food and other
necessities, places strong emphasis onproviding education for
refugee children, as well as on protection and youth services, and
shifts the focus onto servicedelivery through local and municipal
systems, away from international organisations or NGOs.
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On the third day of their mission, the Delegation visited the
Zaatari refugee camp in a desertarea 10 km from the
Jordanian-Syrian border. Members were welcomed at the UNHCR
basecamp and briefed by the External Relations Officer of UNHCR,
Mrs Marwa Hashem, andthe Communication Officer of UNICEF, Mr Samir
Badran. Members highly valued thework of all UN agencies in
alleviating the suffering of the Syrian refugees.
UNHCR, together with the Syrian Refugee Affairs Directorate
(SRD), which is part of theJordanian Ministry of the Interior,
operates the Zaatari refugee camp, which was set upon 29 July 2012.
Since that time, approximately 460 000 refugees have passed through
thecamp. It is gradually evolving into a permanent settlement with
an automatic registration systemfor new arrivals (including
biometrics), which is a prerequisite for receiving a ‘ration
card’(camp ID) giving access to the humanitarian assistance
distributed in the camp. Members wereinformed that the camp has now
reached its full capacity and that new arrivals cannot beaccepted
for the time being.
There are currently 80 000 refugees living in the camp,
including 40 000 children (of whom26 732 are of school age and 5
774 are out of school). 21 587 refugee children of school agehave
enrolled in formal education. 3 999 children have enrolled in the
kindergarten inside thecamp. UNICEF and the Jordanian Ministry of
Education have opened 29 schools (with adouble-shift system) inside
the camp.
Members visited a school and took the chance to discuss the most
urgent needs of teachers andpupils. In order to gain a broader
insight, Members visited the International Medical Corps(IMC)
Centre to meet refugee students as well. Education in Jordan is
mandatory, which alsoapplies to the refugee camp inhabitants1.
In Zaatari, there are two hospitals and nine primary health care
centres run by 120community health volunteers. Members visited one
health clinic, including the delivery unit ofthe camp2. Medical
staff informed Members that the main challenges are providing the
long-term care needed for people wounded in the war. Moreover,
birth control is one of the majorobjectives of the UN agencies
working in Zaatari, where around 300 babies are born
everymonth.
Members also got a glimpse of the real living conditions inside
the camp, made up of countlessbarracks, while walking through it.
On their way through the camp, Members spotted facilities,such as
shops, health centres, schools, the kindergarten, a Mosque and a
communitycentre. This left an impression of tough living
conditions, which was reinforced by the dustyair as the refugee
camp is stranded in the desert. However, there is a broad range of
services onoffer and a rudimentary economic life has started, as
witnessed by the Members when stoppingoff at local shops and a
‘kiosk’ run by the refugees where the Delegation took their lunch
break.When asked, the majority of refugees expressed their
gratitude for the shelter and assistance
1 Scholarship opportunities are primarily provided through the
UNHCR’s DAFI Scholarship Programme. For studentswho were forced to
interrupt their university studies, partnerships are being
established with educational institutionsto provide accredited
skills training. At the end of each school year, successful
students are granted a legitimatecertificate.2 The health of
refugees and other forcibly displaced people is a key component of
protection and a priority for UNHCR.According to the 1951 Refugee
Convention, refugees should enjoy access to health services
equivalent to that of the hostpopulation.
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provided by the UN agencies, but they also stated their strong
wish to go back to Syria as soonas the situation on the ground
allowed for a return.
b.) Visit to ‘Amman New Camp’ and the situation of Palestinian
refugees
Members visited the so-called ‘Amman New Camp’ (which was in
fact established in 1955),one of the ten Palestinian refugee camps
in Jordan. It covers an area of 0.48 square kilometres.The camp was
one of four accommodating some of the 750 000 Palestinian refugees
anddisplaced persons who left as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli
war. 57 000 registered refugeescurrently live in Amman New Camp. In
Jordan, many Palestinians have both UNRWArefugee status and full
Jordanian citizenship, whereas many Jordanians of Palestinianorigin
are not registered as refugees. Approximately half of the Jordanian
population (7.6million) is made up of Palestinians. Whereas
Palestinians who hold Jordanian citizenship arequite well
integrated, Palestinian refugees living in camps remain
particularly vulnerable. Otherinequalities are related to
Palestinian refugees known as ‘Gaza refugees’ (who fled the
Gazastrip after the 1967 Arab-Israeli war). This group has not been
granted citizenship, or access towork and property. Moreover, Gaza
refugees suffer from a high rate of unemployment.
Of the 5 million UNRWA-registered Palestinian refugees, Jordan
hosts the highest numberwith 2.2 million registered Palestine
refugees. These refugees are spread across the officialUNRWA
camps1. UNRWA runs the official camps as well as schools and health
centres.Moreover, it provides social services, micro financing and
humanitarian relief in the form offood, cash or shelter assistance.
Throughout the past decades, UNRWA has been the mainprovider of
public services to Palestinian refugees residing in Jordan. In
addition to 13 schoolsand one health centre, the camp houses one
community-based rehabilitation centre, onewomen’s programme centre,
one environmental health office and one camp services office.
UNRWA Director in Jordan, Roger Davies, and Deputy-Director,
Nils Ryman, in charge ofthe Education Programme, briefed members
on-site. UNRWA representatives displayed a highdegree of gratitude
towards the EU as an indispensable and reliable partner and,
inparticular, for supporting the UN agency. The Delegation was
notably thanked for havingvisited Amman New Camp, which meant a lot
to the Palestinian refugees given that the MiddleEast Peace Process
has no longer taken centre stage in the region in recent years and
manyPalestinians have the feeling that they have been somewhat
forgotten.
Mr Davies acknowledged that, alongside the EU’s response to the
Syrian refugee crisis, asignificant component of the EU’s financial
interventions in Jordan has been provided toUNRWA. However, Mr
Davies expressed his serious concerns about the financial
crisesUNRWA is currently facing. According to Mr Davies, UNRWA has
experiencedconsecutive funding shortages over the past few years,
partly owing to the knock-oneffects of the situation in Syria,
partly to other factors, such as the deteriorating situationin
Gaza. As UNRWA needs to accommodate a growing number of vulnerable
Palestinianrefugees, including those fleeing Syria, who have all
borne the brunt of the impact of theslowing-down of the Jordanian
economy in terms of employment, UNRWA at the same timehas to keep
up with meeting the needs for food, healthcare, training, cash
assistance, etc. Thereis apparently an urgent need to enlarge the
pool of UNRWA donors, according to Mr Davies.
1 UNRWA’s field of operations in Jordan is dived into four
administrative areas: Irbid, North Amman, South Ammanand Zarqa.
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Members reaffirmed that they would follow up on the financial
situation of UNRWA inParliament and underlined once again the
indispensable role UNRWA is playing in providingstable,
high-quality services to Palestinian refugees. During a walking
tour in the camp,Members had the opportunity to witness first hand
that Amman New Camp is veryovercrowded. Kiosks and haphazard stalls
added to the disorganisation on crowded streets.Over the years, the
camp has grown into an urban neighbourhood, which has almost
beenabsorbed by the city of Amman. The visit to Amman New Camp was
concluded by visiting thehouseholds of two Palestinian refugee
families registered with the Agency’s Social Safety NetProgramme.
The dire living conditions of the two families left a depressing
impression on theMembers and staff.
c.) Palestinian refugees from Syria
UNRWA also assists recorded Palestinian refugees from Syria
(PRSs). At the time of themission, the total population of recorded
PRSs in Jordan stood at approximately 20 000, but theactual number
is most likely higher. These ‘double refugees’ are particularly
vulnerable, as90 % of them suffer from severe poverty. PRSs are a
highly marginalised group.Approximately 88 % of the PRS population
in Jordan is eligible to receive regular cashassistance in order to
cover their basic needs. UNRWA’s response to the vulnerable
situationof PRSs has consisted of three key components: 1) delivery
of essential health services; 2)emergency education; 3) provision
of humanitarian relief. The ‘Syria Emergency Appeal’ 2017requested
USD 17 558 388 to preserve resilience and to mitigate vulnerability
among the PRSpopulation. If the money cannot be provided, the
situation of the PRS will dramaticallydeteriorate. This issue
should be followed up on by the Committee on Foreign Affairs
(AFET)and the European External Action Service (EEAS).
8. Visit to Umm el-Jimal – UNESCO-UN-funded project
The Delegation visited the UNESCO-UN Women Joint Programme ‘Umm
el-Jimal’ on thethird day of the mission. The project fosters rural
women’s economic empowermentthrough the creation of cultural
tourism services, with a view to transforming thearchaeological
site into a marketable destination. Umm el-Jimal is one of the
poorestcommunities in the Mafraq Governorate, with a poverty rate
of approximately 32 % and a largepresence of Syrian refugees.
Women’s participation in the local economy is among the lowestin
Jordan, owing to the lack of concrete opportunities. Positioned on
the ‘Tentative List ofUNESCO World Heritage Sites’, Umm el-Jimal is
a crucial asset for preservation and foreconomic development.
Within the framework of the Umm el-Jimal project, women
areproducing local and culturally authentic handicrafts. Moreover,
the project providesheritage education services to children in
order to stimulate their learning capacities and interestin history
through direct hands-on activities. Revenues are generated through
the services fromwhich the women and their families directly
benefit. Members were able to witness first handthat this project
is a positive example of where culture becomes a real vector of
sustainablesocio-economic development. However, due to the lack of
connection with Syrian refugees- as the people directly involved in
the project – the visit did not meet the initially
foreseenexpectation.
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9. Visit to the ‘LUMINUS’ project – EU funded
Members spent half a day at the EU-funded ‘LUMINUS Education
Centre’ in Amman, basedat the Al Quds College. LUMINUS was one of
the first education institutions in Jordan torespond to the Syrian
refugee crisis by providing 50 % scholarships. When it turned
outthat even 50 % was difficult for Syrian students to fund,
LUMINUS endeavoured to findfunding partners to support this
initiative. As a result, more than 100 Syrian students have
beenoffered direct scholarships to date. LUMINUS aims at equipping
the young people of theArab world with the skills and competences
required by the labour market. It is theleading provider of
technical and vocational education and offers 46 courses covering
areassuch as engineering, construction, finance, management,
healthcare, hotel management,tourism, sciences and creative media.
Members took part in an exchange of views withteachers and students
at LUMINUS. Students, including Syrian refugees, expressed
theirgratitude for receiving a scholarship in order to develop
their skills with good prospects offinding a job after finishing
their studies. The fact that LUMINUS is about transforming
theSyrian refugee crisis into a development opportunity that
attracts new investments whilecreating jobs for both, Jordanians
and Syrian refugees, was quite impressive.
10. Meeting with civil society organisations
During a dinner hosted by the Chair, Marisa Matias, Members
participated in an exchange ofviews with representatives from 10
civil society organisations (CSOs). The discussion focusedmainly on
poverty reduction and combating unemployment, democratic
governance, therule of law, human rights, the political
participation of women and education.
CSOs expressed serious concerns related to the right to freedom
of association and inparticular about sweeping amendments to the
country’s association law proposed by theJordanian authorities
that, if implemented, would hamper the ability of CSOs and NGOs to
beestablished and to operate.
Some invitees raised the issue of the erosion of the right to
freedom of speech and belief, asJordanian law criminalises speeches
deemed critical of the King, foreign countries, governmentofficials
and institutions, as well as Islam.
On the issue of women’s rights, Jordan’s personal status code
remains discriminatory, inspite of an amendment in 2010 that
included widening women’s access to divorce and childcustody.
According to Jordan’s national law, Jordanian women married to
non-Jordanians arenot allowed to pass on their nationality either
to their spouse or to their children. CSOs werealso critical of a
law, which allows for reduced sentences for the perpetrators of
‘honourcrimes’. According to some CSOs, the perpetrators of the
killings of at least 26 women andgirls between January and November
2016 claimed that the murders were ‘honour crimes’.
Some representatives from the ‘MADRASATI Organisation’, in
charge of education and youth,complained in particular about the
EU’s stringent visa policy, which made it almostimpossible for
Jordanians to obtain a Schengen visa within a reasonable time
(allowing astay in the Schengen area of a maximum of 30 days within
a period of 90 days ofsubmitting the application). According to a
representative of the MADRASATI Organisation,the complicated visa
application procedure prevented Jordanian students and members of
the
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organisation from receiving a Schengen visa in order to
participate in the EU’s Erasmusprogramme. Members expressed their
willingness to follow up on the issue in Parliament sinceit appears
that the EU’s visa procedure is jeopardising the aims of the
Erasmus programme.
11. EP-Jordan Friendship Group
Prior to the mission, the DMAS secretariat contacted the
Jordanian Embassy to the EuropeanUnion in order to prevent any
clash between the official meeting of the Delegation and
theunofficial Jordan Friendship Group. In its messages, the
secretariat outlined that, for politicalreasons, any overlap of the
Delegation’s meetings with Jordanian interlocutors and
theFriendship Group should be avoided under all circumstances. Only
on 20 May 2017 was theDelegation informed by the EU Delegation in
Amman that the Friendship Group would bemeeting the King together
with the DMAS Delegation1. The embassy neither replied norsubmitted
the programme of the Friendship Group, which was drawn up in its
entirety by theembassy.
In order to prevent further irritations – also on the Jordanian
side – the Delegation Chair decidedto issue a press statement prior
to the official start of the programme2. The press
statementclarified that only Parliament’s Delegation for relations
with the Mashreq countries wasauthorised to issue statements on
behalf of the European Parliament. At the request of
PresidentTajani, who was informed by the Chair about the programme
clash on 20 May 2017, theDelegation’s programme went ahead as
planned and the meeting with the King, together withthe Friendship
Group, took place without further incident. Moreover, the audience
with theKing remained the only joint meeting of the two groups.
However, this scheduling clashovershadowed the official 8th
Interparliamentary Meeting of the Delegation for relations withthe
Mashreq countries and the issue will be followed up in the
Conference of Delegation Chairs.
1 Already in Amman, on 20 June 2017, the EU-Delegation in Amman
informed the Chair that the protocol services ofthe King had
decided to convene a joint audience with His Majesty and both
groups.2 Press statement of 21 May 2017.
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12. Conclusions and recommendations
The Delegation highlights that Jordan is a key strategic partner
of the European Union andcalls for the further deepening of
EU-Jordan relations on political, economic, cultural andsocietal
levels.
The Delegation praises Jordan’s considerable efforts in hosting
an unprecedented influx ofSyrian refugees and its increased
assistance to all refugees since the start of the Syrian crisis.In
spite of the country’s best efforts to host such a high number of
refugees, the Delegationrecognises that the situation for all
refugees in the country is of increasing concern and callsupon the
Government of Jordan to ensure adequate protection for refugees
(especially for thosestranded at the Jordanian-Syrian border).
Moreover, the impact of the Syrian crisis on theservices provided
to Palestinian refugees by UNRWA and the financial constraints the
UNagency is facing must be taken into account, in particular in
relation to the indispensable supportfor the most vulnerable among
them, such as the Palestinian refugees from Syria.
The Delegation acknowledges that the strain placed on Jordan’s
resources by the influx ofrefugees is just one among several
economic and financial consequences of the Syrian crisisand of
regional instability as a whole and recognises that owing to the
spillover effects of theSyrian and Iraqi conflicts, the country’s
position in terms of fiscal aspects and externalfinancing has been
deeply shaken. Assistance to refugees should therefore go hand in
handwith assistance to host communities.
The Delegation underlines the EU’s commitment to continue
providing further support toJordan within the context of the
European Neighbourhood Policy. It does so in order tohelp the
country face the socio-economic and security challenges emerging in
the Middle East.
As for Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA), the Delegation is aware
of the concerns expressedby the Jordanian interlocutors about the
high level of conditionality and underlined, in viewof the
Association Agreement and the EU-Jordan compact, the need for more
adequaterules of origin.
In view of the serious security challenges that both the Middle
East and Europe are facing, theDelegation underlines the need to
develop a more holistic approach to strengthencooperation with
Jordan in the fight against international terrorism, radicalisation
andviolent extremism, and to address their root causes throughout
the region.
The Delegation strongly supports Jordan in its efforts to
relaunch the Middle East PeaceProcess and to foster the two-state
solution as the only way to end the Israel-Palestineconflict.
The Delegation recognises the important role Jordan is playing
in international efforts toend the Syrian war.
The Delegation commends Jordan for its efforts in progressing
with its political reformprocess towards the consolidation of deep
democracy.
The Delegation wishes to express its gratitude to the Jordanian
authorities, both in Brusselsand in Jordan, for its facilitation of
the mission, and for the kindness and hospitalityshown throughout
the three-day programme. In a similar vein, the Delegation
underlinesthat the EU-Delegation to Jordan spared no efforts in
devising an intensive programme ofactivities and meetings, which
allowed the Delegation to make the most of its visit.
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ANNEX 1
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EN United in diversity EN
European Parliament2014-2019
Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries
DRAFT PROGRAMME
DMAS
Working Group to
Jordan
22 - 24 May 2017
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Sunday 21 May 2017
Individual arrivals – flights in a separate table.
Individual arrival toHotel Crowne Plaza
6th Circle, Amman, JordanTelephone: +962 6 551 0001
17h30-
18h00
Meeting with EUDEL (Egidijus NAVIKAS) -EP (Annette
MÜLLER-SERTEN, Lars NIELSEN and Elisa RESCHINI)
Monday 22 May 2017
08h40 Departure from hotel to EUDEL
09h00-10h00 Meeting with EU HoD Fontana and briefing by EU
Delegation and ECHO
Venue: EU Delegation-B2 meetingroom
10h00-10h45 Meeting with EU HOMS
Venue: EU Delegation-B2 meeting room
10h50 Departure to Hussaynieh Palace
11h30-
12h00
Meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al
HusseinParticipants: Mrs Marisa Matias, Mr Gilles Pargneaux, Mr
FrancescGambus, Javier Nart and Mr Miguel Viegas and HOD
12h15 Departure to Luminus
13:00-
15:00
Visit to EU funded project 'LUMINUS' including lunch (see
detailedprogramme)Contact person Ms Yara Younes 0798646277
15:05 Departure for MOFA
15h45-
16h15
Meeting with HE Mr Ayman Safadi, Minister of Foreign Affairs
andExpatriates
Venue: MOFA
16h20 Departure to UNRWA
16h50-
19h00
Briefing by Director of UNRWA Operations, Jordan, Mr Roger
DaviesVisit to UNRWA Amman New Camp "Wehdat" (South-East Amman),
(seedetailed programme)
Venue: Amman New Camp Wehdat UNRWA contact: 0790188013
19h00 Departure to Crown Plaza Hotel
19h40 Departure from hotel to EU HoD Residence
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20h00-
22h00
Reception offered by EU Ambassador Andrea Matteo Fontana
withMembers States Head of Missions, Heads of UN agencies and
relevantJordanian interlocutors
Venue: Residence of EU HoD
Tuesday 23 May 2017
09h30 Departure to Parliament (from hotel)
10h00-
10h30
Meeting with HE, Mr Khamis Atieh, First Deputy Speaker of the
House ofRepresentatives
Venue: Parliament
10h35-
11h35
Meeting with Foreign Affairs Committee of the Jordanian
Parliament
Venue: Parliament
11h35 Departure to MOPIC
12h00-
12h50
Meeting with HE, Dr Imad Fakhoury, Minister of Planning
andInternational Cooperation
Venue: MOPIC
12h50 Departure to MOPPA
13h00-
14h00
Meeting with HE, Mr Musa Maaytah, Minister of Political &
ParliamentaryAffairs
Venue: MOPPA
14h00 Departure to Parliament
14h30-15h30 Meeting with the Jordan-EP Friendship Group,
Committee of the Senate
Venue: Parliament
Transfer to Crowne Plaza Hotel
19h30 Dinner with CSOs hosted by EP
Venue: Hotel Crowne Plaza,Nabatean Hall
List of CSOsin Annex
Wednesday 24 May 2017
08h30 Departure from hotel to Zaatari refugee camp
10h00-13h20 Visit to Zaatari refugee camp (see detailed
programme)
Venue: Zaatari
13h20 Departure to Um Al Jimal
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13h30-14h30 Visit to Um Al Jimal (close to Zaatari camp) –
community of womenworking with basalt rock (UN project) UNESCO – UN
Women JointProgramme “Empowering rural women in Mafraq Governorate”
(seedetailed programme)Contact person: Dr Angela Atzori, mobile
+962 9684 7608
Venue: Um Al Jimal
14h30 Transfer to EU Delegation
16h00-17h00 Press Conference
Venue : EU Delegation – B2meeting room
Thursday 25 May 2017
Individual departures back to Europe
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ANNEX 2
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EN United in diversity EN
European Parliament2014-2019
Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries
22-24 May 2017
Jordan
PARTICIPANTS LIST
MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Ms Marisa MATIAS Portugal GUE/NGLChair of the Delegation
Mr Gilles PARGNEAUX France S&DVice-chair of the
Delegation
Mr Francesc GAMBUS Spain PPEMr Javier NART Spain ALDEMr Miguel
VIEGAS Portugal GUE
ABBREVIATIONS USED FOR POLITICAL GROUPS
EPP Group of the European People's Party (Christian
Democrats)S&D Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists
and DemocratsECR European Conservatives and Reformists GroupALDE
Group of the Alliance of Democrats and Liberals for EuropeGUE/NGL
Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green
LeftGreens/EFA Group of the Greens/European Free AllianceEFD Europe
of Freedom and Direct Democracy GroupNI Non-attached members
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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DG EXTERNAL POLICIES
Ms Annette MÜLLER-SERTEN Administrator,Euromed & Middle East
Unit
Mr Lars NIELSEN Assistant,Euromed & Middle East Unit
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT POLITICAL GROUP STAFF
Ms Itziar MUNOA SALAVERRIA ALDEMs Elisa RESCHINI GUEMr Eldar
MAMEDOV S&D
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT - INTERPRETATION
Mr Diego ALFARO PTMs Maria Teresa LEITAO PTMs Lila GUHA FRMs
Isabelle SEGUELA FRMs Lina DOKHGAN ARMs Serene HULEILEH AR
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ANNEX 3
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European Parliament2014-2019
Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries
22 - 24 May 2017
Jordan
Press release
Amman, 24 May 2017
Five Members of the European Parliament’s Delegation for
Relations with the Mashreqcountries, composed by Marisa MATIAS
(GUE/NGL, Portugal, Chair), Gilles PARGNEAUX(S&D, France, Vice
Chair), Francesc GAMBUS (EPP, Spain), Javier NART (ALDE, Spain)and
Miguel VIEGAS (GUE/NGL, Portugal), conducted an official visit to
Jordan, from 22 to24 May 2017. The Delegation and the Jordanian
Parliament met this week in order to reconfirmtheir solid
partnership and to strengthen their relations in the framework of
the 8th
Interparliamentary Meeting on political, social, security,
economic and cooperation mattersand to assess the spill-over
effects of the Syrian conflict into Jordan.During its three-day
mission, the Delegation was welcomed by His Majesty, King Abdullah
IIbin Al Hussein. Members also held meetings with the acting
Speaker of the Lower House ofthe Jordanian Parliament, H.E. Khamis
Atieh, and with several Members of the JordanianParliament,
including the Heads of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign
Affairs and of theJordanian-European Parliament Friendship
Committee of the Senate. Moreover, the Delegationtook the
opportunity to meet with its key interlocutors H.E. Ayman
Al-Safadi, Minister ofForeign Affairs and Expatriates, H.E. Musa
Maaytah, Minister of Political and ParliamentaryAffairs, H.E. Dr.
Emad Fakhoury, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation
andrepresentatives of civil society organisations.
The Members also spent a whole day in the Zaatari refugee camp,
which currently hosts morethan 79.000 Syrian refugees and took the
opportunity to visit the EU-funded project in the areaof educaton
“LUMINUS", as well as the UN-project “Um Al Jimal” which aims to
empowerwomen living in rural regions of the Mafraq Governorate and
the UNRWA Wehdat camp,
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which accommodates Palestinian refugees.
The Delegation welcomed the Jordanian efforts and solidarity
providing assistance to allrefugees, notably Syrians, while
praising the continuous support towards the Palestinianrefugees,
since 1948, and more recently dealing with the Palestinian refugees
escaping fromSyria. The Members highly valued the work of all
United Nation's Agencies in alleviating thesuffering and facing the
challenges of the refugees and the most vulnerable people.
Education is a key-tool to avoid a lost generation and to
prevent radicalisation. In this sense,the Delegation commended the
Jordanian Government for its recent efforts to allow access formore
than 165.000 Syrian children to education
The Mashreq Delegation recognised the domestic challenges Jordan
is facing while coping withthe increasing demands following the
Syrian crisis, namely access to water, waste
management,infrastructures and health.
Members of the European Parliament together with their
counterparts agreed on the importanceof strengthening political
dialogue on human rights. Furthermore, they recalled that steps
arestill needed concerning women empowerment and to increase job
opportunities for both womenand youth.
During their official meetings with Jordanian parliamentarians,
Members reaffirmed theEuropean Union’s commitment to closer
cooperation with Jordan to better address its mosturgent challenges
emerging in the region. On one hand, Members supported Jordan in
its effortsto relaunch the Middle East Peace Process, and on the
other hand, the Delegation alsorecognised the important role Jordan
is playing in international efforts to bring the Syrian warto an
end.
As for the EU Macro Financial Assistance (MFA), the Members of
the Delegationacknowledged the concerns expressed by the Jordanian
interlocutors towards the high level ofconditionality, and
underlined the need for more adequate rules of origin.
The European Parliament's Delegation
praises Jordan’s considerable efforts in hosting Syrian refugees
in addition toPalestinian and Iraqi refugees and its increased
assistance since the start of the Syriancrisis;
underlines that Jordan is a close and strategic partner of the
European Union and praisestheir good and extensive bilateral
ties;
calls for further deepening of the EU-Jordan relations on the
political, economic,cultural and societal level ;
in view of the serious security challenges that both the Middle
East and Europe arefacing, underlines the need to strengthen
cooperation in the fight against internationalterrorism,
radicalisation and violent extremism, and to address their root
causesthroughout the region;
highlights that an active civil society and public consultation
are the backbone of apluralistic and democratic society.
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European Parliament2014-2019
Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries
22 - 24 May 2017
Jordan
Press release
A delegation of the European Parliament will visit Jordan on 22
- 24 May 2017
21-05-2017: A cross-party delegation of the European
Parliament's Delegation for relationswith the Mashreq countries
will be on an official mission in Jordan in the framework of the
8thInterparliamentary Meeting from 22 to 24 May 2017. The
Delegation will be based in Ammanand will meet with His Majesty,
King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein and representatives of theJordanian
government, civil society and non-governmental organisations. The
Delegation willalso visit refugee camps and EU funded projects.
The Delegation is the only body representing the official
position of the European Parliament,in particular during the
audience with His Majesty, the King.
The Delegation will give a press conference on Wednesday, 24 May
2017 in Amman. A fullpress release on the results of the mission
will be issued after the press conference.
The group will be led by Delegation Chair Marisa Matias
(GUE/NGL, Portugal) and composedof 4 other Members: Gilles
Pargneaux (Vice-Chair of Delegation, S&D, France),
FrancescGambus (PPE, Spain), Javier Nart (ALDE, Spain) and Miguel
Viegas (GUE/NGL, Portugal).