Representing HRH Prince El Hassan Bin Talal, former health minister Saad Jaber on Tuesday opened the regional conference “Between Scarred Landscapes and Safe Havens: Visualising the Future of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in the Middle East.”

Organised by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), the two-day conference brought together policymakers, researchers, humanitarian workers, and mental health experts to examine the evolving role of MHPSS in a region marked by conflict, displacement, and economic hardship.

Jaber, who is also a member of the Board of Trustees at the Royal Hashemite Documentation Centre, called for greater investment in mental health, noting that only 3 per cent of Jordan’s total health expenditure is allocated to mental health services.

He also stressed that mental health is not only about survival, but also about restoring dignity and building societal stability. “In Jordan, over 70 per cent of primary health centres still lack mental health and psychosocial support services,” he said. “We need a shared framework, not scattered efforts.”

German Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Guido Kemmerling highlighted the importance of regional cooperation. “Today, over 2,000 professionals from across the region are gathering to share their experiences, helping reduce stigma and improve responses to violence and suicide,” he said.