Princess Haya Of Jordan Calls For Political Solution To Solve The Middle East 'Chaos'

In an interview with Australian current affairs program Lateline, Princess Haya of Jordan spoke about the impact of the war in Syria and the resulting migration crisis, which has left the region in 'chaos'.

The princess, who is the daughter of the late King Hussain and Queen Alia of Jordan, the half-sister of current King Abdullah and the junior wife of United Arab Emirates' Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – said of the devastating situation: 'I remember growing up in Jordan, I was born in 1974 and during the 70s and the 80s Jordan was in a tough neighbourhood, but I never remember it as bad in my life as what the whole region looks like now.'

As chair of Dubai's International Humanitarian City, former United Nations Messenger of Peace, and the founder of food aid foundation, Tkiyet Um Ali, Princess Haya has seen first-hand the struggle of the humanitarian agencies who are working tirelessly to respond to the overwhelming need of the region's citizens.

She said: 'The Middle East is in chaos. We've got extremism reaping the benefits of that chaos and really using the fact that there's insecurity in food that there's widespread poverty, to use it as a recruiting tool, and you've got this whole problem literally spilling over worldwide.'

Oxford-educated Princess Haya has travelled extensively for her humanitarian work and pursues a passion for show jumping, which saw her represent Jordan at the Sydney Olympics. Her equine pursuits also saw her become the first Jordanian woman to be granted a license to drive heavy trucks – a necessity for transporting her horses.

Though she does not officially identify as a feminist, the princess has said: 'I feel that it's more about gender balance than equality, and with balance there is equality…I think change starts from within and I think the best way to drive change is gently.'