As of March 2017, over 141,000 Syrian refugees are registered in camps in Jordan. Zaatari and Azraq remain the largest and both require substantial investment in their establishment and upkeep. Both camps provide individual shelters to refugees (prefabricated containers in Zaatari; transitional shelters in Azraq) and Azraq can accommodate additional shelters through the expansion of existing villages or through the construction of a new village.
In 2016, the population of Azraq drastically increased with the arrival of refugees coming from the north-eastern border between Jordan and Syria which resulted in the opening of Villages 2 & 5 in the camp. While the camps are of a high standard, both require ongoing infrastructure works. These include the decongestion of Zaatari, upgrading and maintenance of existing shelters, road maintenance, management of storm-water drainage systems as well as maintenance of camp infrastructure and basic service facilities. To cope with the potential arrival of persons from the north-eastern border, UNHCR will aim at expanding the capacity of Azraq through the construction of new block of shelters and roads in Villages 3 and 6 as a main priority before starting the construction of any new villages.
Without adequate funding, UNHCR can maintain or upgrade only 50 per cent of existing shelters to ensure their longevity and improve internal thermal conditions. Shelter upgrades will have the added benefit of serving as an income-generating activity for camp residents. Budget permitting, UNHCR will explore the possibility to rehabilitate roads, especially in Zaatari, as well as to develop a comprehensive storm water network to stop responding to heavy rains in the camp with emergency dewatering. Further, public spaces and green areas will be developed based upon the outcomes of pilot projects implemented in 2017. Lastly, infrastructure at the berm will be maintained and/or extended based on need.