Jordan urges ‘top priority’ for global refugee problem

By Handan Kazanci

ISTANBUL (AA) – President of Jordanian Senate called on the international community Thursday to treat the refugee problem with “top priority”.

“It is time that the international community places the worldwide refugee problem at the top of its priorities, try harder to put an end for the abnormal phenomenon and offer adequate assistance to host countries,” Faisal al-Fayez told the 10th Bosphorus Summit in Istanbul.

“While we expect the international community to shoulder its responsibilities towards Jordan in this particular respect, we also urge the UN to do more by way of finding solutions to the conflicts and the crises that force people to leave their homes in search for safety elsewhere,” he stressed.

Jordan had to receive more than one million Iraqi refugees during the 1991 Gulf War, he said, adding that the country hosts almost 1.3 million Syrian refugees, while the situation in neighboring Syria awaits final settlement.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million others displaced, according to UN officials.

Fayez blamed the UN for failing to resolve the conflicts around the world.

“The failure to resolve such crisis has resulted in continued wars and suffering, huge cost, blood and treasure, destruction, migration and spreading political instability.”

He went on to say: “The UN, however, should pay due attention to its duty in resolving the conflicts that force people to escape for safety. That phenomenon should end.”

The three-day Bosphorus Summit, organized by the International Communication Platform under the auspices of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will last till Nov. 29 with the theme of "Towards a New World Order".

Top Turkish and foreign officials, high-level business people, academics and experts attend the summit for addressing trending topics such as trade issues, changing the world order, digital transformation and defense industry.