The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have commenced a significant two-day humanitarian mission to Jordan, beginning with a high-level roundtable discussion organized by the World Health Organisation. The event, held at the WHO's country office in Amman, brought together key figures from United Nations agencies, diplomatic representatives, and major donors to address the pressing needs of refugees in Jordan and the wider region.
WHO Hosts Humanitarian Summit
The roundtable was personally chaired by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organisation, who extended a warm welcome to the Sussexes upon their arrival. Dr. Tedros greeted the couple on the steps of the WHO office, embracing both Harry and Meghan, with the Duchess notably dressed in a sophisticated white jacket and matching trousers for the occasion.
High-Profile Attendees and Discussions
Around the table sat senior representatives from numerous UN bodies, including UNWRA, UNHCR, the World Food Programme, and UNICEF. Diplomatic attendees from countries such as the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Canada, and the European Union also participated in the crucial discussions. The meeting focused on coordinating humanitarian efforts and addressing the complex challenges faced by refugees in Jordan.
Philip Hall, the British Ambassador to Jordan, expressed his gratitude to the Sussexes for their visit, stating: "Your visit, your support, your appreciation of the efforts that the United Nations, including of course, the World Health Organisation, the government of Jordan and others, are making here is enormously appreciated. So thank you for coming."
Jordan's Refugee Context
Jordan has experienced multiple waves of refugees over decades, beginning with Palestinians more than eighty years ago. Today, approximately 2.5 million Palestinians reside in Jordan, alongside Syrians who fled conflict in their homeland under President Bashar al-Assad's regime. The most recent influx has resulted from the Israeli government's military operations in Gaza against Hamas, following the October 7 attacks.
Ambassador Hall on Lasting Solutions
Ambassador Hall emphasized the necessity of a comprehensive regional peace to resolve the ongoing humanitarian crisis, telling the assembled group: "And of course, the last point is just to say a lasting solution of this requires a regional peace. It requires, in particular, peace between Palestine and Israel and the two state solution – that's easily said, we all know it's very hard to achieve, but we're all working on that too."
Busy Two-Day Itinerary
During their packed visit, the Sussexes will engage with Jordanian leaders and senior health officials, meet with WHO field teams, and visit frontline health and mental health programmes. They will also connect with World Central Kitchen staff who are coordinating food relief efforts for Gaza from Amman. Additionally, the couple plans to visit Questscope's youth centre to hear from young people participating in creative and wellbeing programmes.
The Sussexes travelled to Jordan at the personal invitation of Dr. Tedros, marking another chapter in their post-royal humanitarian work since stepping down as working royals in 2020 to pursue personal and financial independence. Their involvement in this high-profile summit underscores their continued commitment to global humanitarian causes and refugee support initiatives.
