Mrajeeb Al Fhood refugee camp

Mrajeeb Al Fhood refugee camp (also spelled variously as Murijep al Fhoud and Marjeeb Al Fahood and also known as Emirati-Jordanian^[1]) is a refugee camp for refugees fleeing the Syrian Civil War. It is located in Mrajeeb Al Fhood, a stretch of arid plains some 20 kilometers east of Zarqa, Jordan. It was opened in April 2013 to cope with the overflow from Zaatari refugee camp and is funded by the United Arab Emirates.^[2]

At the time of building, Jordanian officials feared that the number of Syrian refugees in Jordan could double in the following six months as the fighting escalated during warmer weather.^[3] As of January 2015^[update], the camp had a population of 4,196;^[4] in 2017 it housed about the same number.^[1]

Mrajeeb Al Fhood is only infrequently visited by journalists due to its isolated location in the Jordanian desert. It is considered a “five star camp”, guaranteeing the best human conditions to refugees. For Syrians fleeing war, upgrading one's own life means being able to relocate to this camp. It gives priority to widows with children, single women, the elderly, disabled people, or large families; single men are not allowed.^[5]

In 2017, a delegation of members from the European Parliament (MEPs) of the “EU-UAE Parliamentary Friendship Group”, the first of its kind by a European parliamentary delegation since the opening of the camp.^[6] In 2018, the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference and Exhibition (DIHAD) in cooperation with the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), with the support of the UAE Embassy in Jordan, launched a humanitarian initiative to support the Syrian refugees by providing and distributing a total of 2,400 school bags, stationery and other essential educational supplies for the students of the camp.^[7]

See also

• Asia portal

• List of Syrian refugee camps in Jordan
• Zaatari refugee camp
• Syrians in Jordan

References

1. Jauhiainen, Jussi; Vorobeva, Ekaterina. Migrants, Asylum Seekers And Refugees In Jordan, 2017. University of Turku. ISBN 978-951-29-7189-3. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
2. "UAE-funded camp for Syrian refugees opens in Jordan". The National (Abu Dhabi). 11 April 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
3. Gavlak, Dale (10 April 2013). MIGRANTS, ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES IN JORDAN, 2017: Second camp for Syrian refugees opens in Jordan. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
4. "Emirati Jordanian Camp (Murijep al Fhoud)". United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
5. Carpi, Estella (8 February 2015). "The UAE-funded Mrajeeb al-Fhood Syrian refugee camp in Jordan. Can humanitarianism ever upgrade?". Trends Research & Advisory. Archived from the original on 8 June 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
6. WAM (1 November 2017). "Members of European Parliament Visit UAE-Jordanian Camp Mrajeeb Al Fhood for Syrian Refugees". Inter Press Service.
7. Emirates News Agency (12 September 2018). "DIHAD offers ray of hope to Syrian children at 'Mrajeeb Al Fhood' Refugee Camp in Jordan". Reliefweb. Retrieved 17 December 2018.