Mission Report, Jordan, August 2016

The intensification of the armed conflict in Syria has resulted in an increase in people fleeing Syria to Jordan through the north-east border crossings of Rukban and Hadalat. As of August 4^th, sources estimate a total population of 80,000 individuals at the eastern border of Jordan, with 71,000 individuals at Rukban and 7,000 individuals at Hadalat[1]. Until June 21^st, international agencies were responding to humanitarian needs at these two locations, including provision of water and sanitation, food distribution and medical assistance1. However, following the security incident on June 21st, the humanitarian community, cognisant of Jordan’s heightened national security concerns, has been heavily restricted from providing life-saving service to the asylum seeker population, in both Rukban and Hadalat.

Water provision to support the needs of the Syrian asylum seekers at these two locations was greatly restricted immediately following the incident and has slowly increased through continuous negotiations between UNICEF and national authorities. Daily water trucking has resumed, well recognised as both a costly[2] and unsustainable activity due to the logistical challenges associated with transportation and accessing the remote locations of Rukban and Hadalat. As a result, UNICEF continues to undertake steps to establish longer-term, more durable solution for water provision, particularly in light of the restricted access to both sites due to the border closure[3].

[1]UN Jordan: Discussion paper on scenarios for the people at the Jordan’s north eastern border, dated 4 August 2016 disseminated by

OCHA cites 71,000 individuals in Rukban and 6,800 individuals in Hadalat

[2] Current costs for trucked water to both locations is estimated at 10,000 USD per day, not including staffing and overhead

[3]This area is considered as a close military zone and requires entry permits from the Jordanian authorities, i.e. military andborder guards to access both locations