Amman, Dec. 12 (BNA): The Netherlands announced an extra allocation of 14 million euros to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Jordan to address critical basic needs of 31,400 vulnerable refugee families.
The extra funding comes in response to recent calls by UNHCR and the Government of Jordan for additional support to refugees in Jordan, a statement by the Dutch embassy on Monday said, Petra news agency reported.
It explained that the increased cost of living has heavily affected the conditions of vulnerable people in Jordan, with refugees particularly affected.
"The €14 million contribution of the Netherlands to UNHCR's cash assistance program aims to alleviate the immediate needs of the most vulnerable refugees and will help them pay bills for food, housing, and energy," Dutch Ambassador Harry Verweij was quoted as saying.
"This contribution is a sign of our continued commitment to support Jordan with hosting so many refugees."
UNHCR’s Representative to Jordan, Dominik Bartsch said that they are grateful for the Netherlands responding to their call for support to refugees during the winter period.
"It allows us to sustain our cash assistance for the most vulnerable women, men and children and stabilize their fragile household economies," he said.
The Netherlands is among UNHCR’s top five donors for unearmarked funds that include support to UNHCR in Jordan; the €14 million adds to the Netherlands long-standing support to UNHCR.
In addition, this extra funding complements the Netherlands’ multi-year support in Jordan through the PROSPECTS Partnership.
PROSPECTS brings together IFC, ILO,UNHCR, UNICEF, and the World Bank to advance the self-reliance of refugees and vulnerable Jordanians by improving their access to and inclusion in quality education, employment and protection services, while supporting the Government of Jordan with their development goals.