UN Resident Coordinator in Jordan Sheri Ritsema-Anderson said in an interview with Jordan Times that Jordan has made real progress in realising its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) commitments, particularly in terms of combating hunger, and in the fields of education, water and sanitation and innovation.
Anderson noted that the decline in refugee support has put pressure on Jordan’s development journey. The path to development is global in scope, with broad themes including rescuing people, saving the planet and ensuring all are able to benefit from prosperity, all of which put pressure on governments, she said.
She expressed her concern about the decline in funding coming forward, noting its visible impact as shown by various UN announcements on funding shortages for refugee support.
Despite the pressures, “the targets and priorities are there” in terms of Jordan’s SDG commitments, according to Ritsema-Anderson. “It’s not a question of revising the targets for the goals. It’s a question of how do we mobilise additional partnerships for Jordan,” in order for the country to continue along its path of achieving its commitments, she said.
To achieve sustainable development both in Jordan and the world more broadly is something that Ritsema-Anderson terms “a whole of humanity responsibility”.
In order to accomplish this, the UN is “constantly” fundraising, raising attention and mobilising action, working to gain funding for specific projects, enabling governments to improve the quality of public services and working in partnership with the private sector to ensure the provision of financial and technical support, she added.
The UN Resident Coordinator also mentioned that there are new, innovative funding streams which Jordan has been at the forefront of experiencing, such as new sources of funding, and the uptick in online financing.
Concluding with a reiteration of the UN’s solidarity with Jordan and hopes for the Kingdom’s future, Ritsema-Anderson said: “The UN stands firm and consistent in solidarity with the country, with people, with refugees, and with the government of Jordan. We call on everyone to continue to contribute financially and otherwise to ensure that everything that we have built over the last years is sustained, and that Jordan is able to continue its path towards sustainable development, but also towards being continuing to be the country… that is a place of refuge for others who might need it.”
(Source: Jordan Times)
