Mr. Sato and his delegates, including the Japanese Ambassador to Jordan, Mr. Hidenao Yanagi, were welcomed by Brigadier General Abdullah Shedefat, Director of the Royal Jordan National Defence College, which oversees the operation of the Centre.

Mr. Sato and the delegates were briefed on the functions of the JCCE as a research and educational institute specializing in preventing violent extremism, followed by a tour of the centre. In his briefing, Mr. Shedefat explained that the JCCE provides a one-year master’s degree programme in countering extremism and terrorism studies, as well as short-term training courses open to both military and non-military personnel. He added that in 2017, the centre awarded 19 master degrees and hosted a total of 115 participants, both Jordanian and international, in its training courses.

The JCCE was created under the UNOPS project ‘Capacity building for promotion of moderation and counter extremism’ in 2016-2017, with funding from the Government and the people of Japan. The project resulted in the construction, equipping and furnishing of four buildings (command building, education building, dining building and accommodation), and the procurement of a 23-seater bus for the transportation of trainees. The design of the centre incorporates sustainability features, including a photovoltaic system for the buildings and a water treatment plant and irrigation system for the centre’s garden.   

UNOPS has been supporting the Government of Jordan’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis since 2013, with projects both inside and outside of refugee camps.