IOM supports UAE Red Crescent at new Syrian refugee camp in Jordan

Geneva, April 29, 2013 (WAM) - : The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is providing technical support to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Red Crescent Authority and the Jordanian government in the management of a new refugee camp for vulnerable Syrian families fleeing to Jordan. The Emirates Jordanian Camp (EJC), which opened two weeks ago and is located in Zarqa prefecture, has already received a total of 1,688 refugees. It has a current capacity of 5,000, but will eventually house up to 25,000 people. Previously Syrian refugees crossing into Jordan were bussed by IOM to the Za'atri refugee camp, close to the Syrian border in Mafraq prefecture. But Za'atri is now filled to capacity with some 190,000 refugees. "IOM is working in close collaboration with the UAE Red Crescent to provide decent and humane living conditions at the EJC, which will eventually house over 4,000 families and is funded by our UAE Red Crescent partners," said Fouad Diab, who coordinates IOM's camp management activities in Jordan. IOM's main role in the EJC is to provide orientation and reception services to new arrivals; establish onsite governance and community participation mechanisms; and provide technical support to the UAE Red Crescent in camp coordination and camp management (CCCM). – Emirates News Agency, WAM