The UK Prime Minister Theresa May has announced the details of a GBP1 billion jobs and education package to support the most vulnerable victims of the Syrian conflict.
According to a press release today, the overseas development funding, an allocation of GBP 840 million pledges made last year at the London Syria Conference along with GBP 160 million of new money, will provide vital support for refugees and the countries hosting them across the region.
The press release added that this includes Jordan where there are currently over 650,000 registered Syrian refugees. The Prime Minister will witness the challenges facing Jordan first-hand as she visits a school in the country educating young Syrian refugees and Jordanian children.
Today's announcement comes ahead of a UK co-hosted Syria conference in Brussels later this week and builds on the UK's leadership at the London Syria Conference last year, where the UK made education for children and the creation of jobs in the Middle East the main focus.
The package of UK support will focus on creating new incentives for refugees to remain close to home so they don't feel forced to make the perilous and potentially life-threatening journey to Europe.
It will focus on providing more education, skills and jobs for refugees and others in countries like Jordan that border Syria, bringing them the stability and resilience to cope with the ongoing influx of people seeking shelter and giving those people the chance to build themselves meaningful long-term futures in the region.
The press release said that the UK support includes new funding for infrastructure in Jordan and Lebanon potentially creating thousands of new jobs, providing refugees and host communities with opportunities in the region while supporting vital building work potentially including waste water plants, schools and roads. It includes new support and advice to small and medium-sized businesses in Lebanon to create more jobs for host communities and Syrian refugees.

Source: QNA