Between 23 and 25 October, HM Queen Mathilde visited Jordan on a humanitarian mission in her capacity as an SDG Advocate. She was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo.

During the visit to the Zaatari Refugee Camp and the UNICEF centre in Makani, the Queen and the Minister met with refugees who spoke about their fate, their needs and aspirations. They also had a lengthy exchange with a family from Syria living with a host community of Mafraq. 78% of the Syrians refugees found shelter in host communities within urban centres, where they share space, resources and services with their Jordanian hosts.

The Queen and the Minister also held meetings with Queen Rania, who invited them to visit the Jordan River Foundation, Prime Minister Dr Hani Mulqi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Judeh, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury, High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, as well as with local representatives of UNICEF, HCR, WFP, IOM and OCHA.

During the visit, the Minister announced a contribution of 1 million EUR for the biometric cash assistance programme of the UNHCR. The cash assistance programme will allow refugees to provide for their own needs and contribute to reducing poverty. The approach also gives an extra impulse to the local economy and decreases administrative costs.

The Queen was particularly interested in housing and health care conditions, as well as education services provided in the camps and their vicinity. She devoted a great deal of attention to the mental wellbeing of the refugees who experienced traumatic events. She also expressed strong support for the ongoing assistance provided to the most vulnerable, such as women and children, who represent almost 80% of the Syrian refugee population in Jordan, and efforts undertaken to support the economic empowerment of women.

In a message at the occasion of United Nations Day, Queen Mathilde asked particular attention to these efforts. “All of the refugee children need access to education and to good healthcare. Many of the children fleeing the war in Syria need psychological support too,” she said. “That is why I am asking for particular attention to be paid to education, healthcare and, especially, the refugees’ mental health.”