Activities of Secretary-General in Jordan, 6-7 December

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Amman, Jordan, on the evening of Thursday, 6 December, as part of what he earlier said was his effort to show solidarity with Syrian refugees living in camps located in neighbouring countries.

Immediately upon arrival, he held a tête-à-tête meeting with Jordan’s Prime Minister, Abdalla Ensour, during which he expressed his appreciation of Jordan’s support for the Syrian refugees staying within its borders.

The following morning, the Secretary-General travelled to the Za’atari refugee camp in the Mafrag region of Jordan.  He received briefings on how United Nations agencies and their partners are providing services to the camp’s residents.

The Secretary-General then looked at different parts of the camp, including a health-care clinic and a schoolroom.  He talked to children in the classroom, who told him that they wished to return to their homes and schools in Syria.  And he spoke to other residents as he toured the Za’atari camp.

He then spoke to the media, saying he had heard heartbreaking stories from the refugees whom he had met, many of whom had lost family members.  Some, he said, are still suffering from the trauma of torture and abuse of their human rights and dignity.  Many saw their homes destroyed before their eyes.

The Secretary-General urged greater international support to fund the refugee camps and overall humanitarian assistance for Syria, saying that the United Nations appeal for humanitarian assistance has only been half-funded.  He said it was essential that refugees who have lost everything be treated with human dignity and given the support they need.

Following his visit to the camp, the Secretary-General left Jordan for Turkey, where he would also visit a camp for Syrian refugees.