Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross’ (ICRC) delegation in Syria, Philip Spoerri, on Sunday commended Jordan’s humanitarian efforts and contributions to aid Syrian refugees on Jordanian territory.
Spoerri told reporters at the ICRC’s Amman office that cooperation on humanitarian matters between Jordanian authorities and the committee’s delegations has been close and non-stop, appreciating the Kingdom’s move to create safe corridors that allow for the smooth flow of humanitarian assistance to Syria.
He indicated that the situation in southern Syria is now stable and that after the reopening of borders, these corridors are no longer needed. Speaking on the ICRC’s Syria operations, Spoerri noted that the committee’s Syria mission was of the largest in the world with a humanitarian aid budget of $200 million.
While assuring that Syrian was heading toward stability in military terms, the ICRC official warned that the country is now caught in the grip of economic deterioration exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, the failure to bring about a political endgame to the crisis and the ongoing international sanctions.
He noted that the war damaged 50 percent of the country’s infrastructure and said power and water stations are in need of maintenance and rehabilitation to prevent further deterioration.
With regard to the return of Syrian refugees to their country, the ICRC official briefly said: “We have put forward conditions that must be met in order for the return of refugees to be safe and voluntary.”
Source: Jordan News Agency