Banbury MP Sean Woodcock spent time at Syrian and Palestinian refugee camps during his official visit to Jordan last week (July 21-27).

The Banbury MP was a part of a parliamentary delegation to Jordan that visited refugee camps and met with senior Jordanian officials.

Sean, alongside other MPs, spoke with the president of the Senate and the international affairs committee in the Senate, His Excellency Faisal Al-Fayez, and with the foreign affairs committee in the House of Representatives.

He also met and held discussions with the minister of planning and international cooperation, Her Excellency Zeina Toukan; the British ambassador, Philip Hall OBE; and ambassador Majed T. Alqatarneh.

Sean Woodcock visiting the UNRWA School during his official visit to Jordan.

placeholder image — Sean Woodcock visiting the UNRWA School during his official visit to Jordan.

Speaking about the visit, Sean Woodcock MP said: “I am grateful for their time in speaking with us, and they left us with food for thought as we returned to the UK.

“I am hopeful that I will be able to use this experience to further my parliamentary work and provide deeper insights when answering queries from constituents, particularly on matters relating to foreign affairs.”

However, a main focus of the trip was the visit to the refugee programmes to witness firsthand the impact of humanitarian efforts in the country.

Sean Woodcock said: “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to take part in this delegation to Jordan last week.

Sean Woodcock MP at the Za'atari Refugee Camp during his visit to Jordan.

“Visits to both Syrian and Palestinian refugee camps were particularly insightful.

“Seeing the work of agencies like UNHCR, UNICEF, and UNRWA on the ground and speaking with refugees was truly eye-opening and has left a lasting impression.”

During the trip, Sean visited the refugee registration centre, where he held discussions with some of the refugees.

Following that, he travelled to the Za’atari Refugee Camp, where he visited the WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) and education programmes for children living at the camp.

Sean then visited the UNRWA health and education programmes at the Jabal el-Hussein refugee camp to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by different refugee communities in Jordan.

Sean also toured the BBC World Service offices, met with the Jordanian Armed Forces, travelled to the Syrian border, and visited the 10th Royal Border Guard Battalion in Al-Ramtha.