Tuesday, the Director for Middle East in the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Mr. Volker Oel, the Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Amman, Ms. Kordula Mehlhart, the Director of the Middle East Department of KfW Development Bank, Mr. Marc Engelhardt, and the Country Director of the German development agency GIZ, Ms. Elisabeth Girrbach, visited Talbieh camp for Palestine refugees in Jordan. The visit took place within a larger mission to the region which saw representatives of BMZ, KfW and GIZ visiting also Shuafat refugee camp in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The visit allowed them to obtain a first-hand account of the impact of German-funded infrastructure and camp improvement projects in Talbieh camp as well as of vital education and primary health services supported by Germany and provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The Director of UNRWA Affairs in Jordan, Ms. Marta Lorenzo, H.E Eng. Rafiq Kherfan, Director General of the department of Palestinian Affairs (DPA) and UNRWA staff accompanied the delegation.

“The solidarity and support that Germany shows to UNRWA are crucial to the rights and wellbeing of Palestine refugees," said Ms. Lorenzo. “With a focus on improving the living environment of Palestine refugees in camps through participatory planning processes and infrastructure development, supporting education and health services, including efforts to contain and combat COVID-19, and technical assistance in various areas such as mental health and social work, Germany has been a key partner in enabling UNRWA to assist Palestine refugees in Jordan,” Ms. Lorenzo emphasized.

“Promoting development opportunities for Palestine refugees in the region and supporting UNRWA in providing mandated core services remains a priority for Germany. In our cooperation, we especially focus on strengthening participatory initiatives to ensure our support responds to the priorities of refugee communities in sustainably improving the living environment in camp settings, as well as on efforts to modernize and enhance the quality of UNRWA services through programmatic reforms and infrastructure development,” Said Mr. Oel.

Since 2011, the German Government through KfW and GIZ has supported the sustainable improvement of living conditions in Palestine refugee camps in Jordan. With the active participation and empowerment of the community in the camps, over 250 shelters have been rehabilitated in Talbieh, Husn and Jerash camps. Four schools in Husn and Talbieh camps have been refurbished and new annexes added. German support also enabled the improvement of public spaces, including an ongoing reinstatement and upgrading of Jerash camp roads and the construction of a community playground in Husn camp.

Currently, the rehabilitation of a further 84 shelters in Talbieh, Husn and Jerash camps is underway, as are the upgrading of Husn playground and preparations for the construction of a photovoltaic system. The German delegation visited refugee shelters rehabilitated with German support and met the members of the UNRWA Talbieh Girls’ School parliament to discuss their living conditions in the camp and prospects for the future. The delegation also interacted with school counselors to understand the psychosocial situation of students.

At the UNRWA Talbieh Health Center, the delegation saw how health services were administered through mobile applications and telemedicine limit gatherings and overcrowding. GIZ’s support to mental health and psychosocial services of UNRWA medical staff was also highlighted as well as the Agency’s support to the Government of Jordan’s national vaccination campaign.

The Government of Germany is a steadfast partner to UNRWA. In 2021, the Government of Germany was the Agency’s second-largest donor, contributing EUR 150 million.