I was recently part of the CGP Future Leaders delegation to Jordan, a journey that offered an unfiltered look at the intersection of diplomacy, development, and defence in one of the Middle East’s most stable yet most challenged nations.
From the moment we landed in Amman, the pace was intense. Day one began with a UNHCR security briefing, a stark reminder of Jordan’s volatile neighbourhood and the burden of hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees. Our first stop was the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, where frank discussion covered Gaza, water scarcity, and the economic pressures these issues create.
In the afternoon, H.E. Zeina Toukan, Minister of Planning, spoke on balancing reform with stability and the value of UK partnerships. H.E. Dr. Saleh A. Al-Kharabsheh, Minister of Energy, shared Jordan’s ambition to lead in renewable energy and green hydrogen by 2030. That evening, British Ambassador Philip Hall OBE hosted dinner, setting out the UK’s quiet but effective role in Jordan.
The next day at the British Council, we saw how education and cultural exchange programmes, including English training for the Jordanian Armed Forces, open life-changing opportunities. Later, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister H.E. Ayman Al Safadi gave what was, for me, the most open and engaging briefing of the trip, calling for pragmatic peace in Gaza and offering a statesmanlike, balanced view of the region.
The humanitarian reality hit hardest on day three at Azraq Refugee Camp. Home to 41,000 people, 26,000 of them children, the camp is divided into five desert villages with tin shelters, electricity for 15 hours a day, and little connection to the outside world. Refugees survive on £21 per month for food, soon to be cut to £13, compared to a £500 Jordanian breadline. It is impossible to see how anyone can live on so little.
The World Food Programme’s digital-credit supermarket system preserves dignity, but conditions remain stark. Jordan, without oil wealth, has provided schooling and medical care for over 600,000 refugees, but its generosity is stretched to breaking point.
In nearby Azraq City, War Child and Al Aoun CBO address the mental health toll of displacement. Meeting young mothers, many forced into early marriage and abuse, showed how vocational training and counselling can rebuild self-worth, enabling them to provide for their children and imagine a future beyond survival.
By day four, focus shifted to security and governance. At Jordanian Armed Forces HQ, the General and his chiefs of staff delivered a clear, British-style briefing on border operations. Jordan is an island of stability in a sea of conflict, its military both shield and regional stabiliser. The Independent Electoral Commission described slow but steady reforms to increase representation for women, youth, and minorities. At the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation, we saw UK-funded Gaza aid ready for shipment.
Our final evening with H.E. Samir Z. Al Rifai, former PM and now Senate VP, brought a measured, pragmatic perspective on reform and stability, from a hillside home with sweeping views towards Jerusalem.
As we left, my takeaway was clear: Jordan is not just a recipient of aid but an active partner in stability. UK support here is not charity, it is strategic foresight, reinforcing a buffer against chaos and strengthening a vital ally. For a fraction of the cost of supporting a single illegal migrant in the UK, we can help tens of thousands remain close to home, reducing migration pressures and protecting our own security. Foreign aid, used wisely, is national defence, in Jordan, every pound works twice.
A heartfelt thank you to Ryan, Lois, Gulay, Rosie, and the Coalition for Global Prosperity team for giving us the opportunity to see this first-hand. It was an unforgettable, eye-opening experience.
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