Amman, Oct. 13 (Petra) The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has welcomed the Jordanian Cabinet’s decision on Sunday to approve the establishment of one of UNICEF’s four global Centers of Excellence, alongside the organization’s new regional office that will cover the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and Central Asia, in the Jordanian capital Amman.

In a statement to the Jordan News Agency (Petra) on Monday, UNICEF said the decision reflects the depth of the long-standing strategic partnership between the organization and the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, built on mutual trust and a shared vision to protect children’s rights and promote their well-being.

The organization praised Jordan’s continued support and its leading role in hosting regional and global headquarters, noting that the decision strengthens Jordan’s position as a regional and global hub for humanitarian and development coordination.

UNICEF added that hosting both offices in Amman will enhance the organization’s ability to achieve tangible results for children by strengthening cooperation among countries, improving regional efficiency, supporting innovation, and promoting knowledge and expertise exchange. It said the move reinforces Jordan’s pivotal role in leading joint efforts to address challenges facing children across the region and the world.

Explaining the choice of Amman as the host city, UNICEF noted that the Jordanian capital has long served as the organization’s regional headquarters for the Middle East and North Africa due to its stability, security, accessibility from around the world, and advanced infrastructure.

UNICEF said Jordan’s commitment to multilateralism and cooperation with the United Nations system makes it an ideal location to host one of its global Centers of Excellence, which will bring together UNICEF teams working in education and child protection. The center will serve as a global platform for advancing knowledge and best practices in these two vital areas.

The organization added that the next steps for implementing the decision and launching the two offices will be carried out in close coordination with the Jordanian government to ensure smooth and efficient execution. The Center of Excellence is scheduled to begin operations in early 2026.

UNICEF said the move marks an important milestone in strengthening the organization’s global expertise and expanding its humanitarian and developmental impact from Amman to the wider region and the world. The decision, it added, reflects the depth of the enduring partnership and cooperation between UNICEF and the Jordanian government, underscoring Jordan’s strategic role as a trusted partner and a bridge linking regional and global efforts.

The organization stressed that hosting the regional office and the Center of Excellence further enhances Jordan’s leadership in promoting children’s rights and advancing inclusive development, opening broader opportunities for collaboration, capacity building, and knowledge exchange to benefit children in Jordan, the region, and worldwide.

//Petra// AF