Conference decision from the EU to support earthquake zones
After the Kahramanmaras-centered earthquakes, EU countries, which sent both search and rescue teams and products such as medical equipment, food and clothing to the region, have now decided to support the disaster areas with a conference. The European Union will hold an International Donors Conference tomorrow in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, to collect financial support for earthquake zones in Türkiye and Syria.
The conference, announced by the European Union (EU) on February 8, is jointly organized by the EU Commission and the Term President of the European Council, Sweden, with the coordination of Türkiye.
EU member, candidate and potential candidate countries, neighboring and partner countries, G20 members excluding Russia, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, United Nations (UN), humanitarian actors and European and international financial institutions were invited to the conference, for collect financial support for the 11 province and northern Syria affected by earthquakes in Kahramanmaras.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will speak at the opening of the conference.
'OUR SOLIDARITY WILL CONTINUE STRONG'
Von der Leyen, in a written statement about the conference, said, "Our solidarity will continue as strong as it did in the first hours after the earthquake. The peoples of Türkiye and Syria should know that we are with them in the long run. All nationalities, all public and private donors, in memory of the lives lost, of the first responders. I invite you to contribute and honor your heroism and, most importantly, to build a better future together for survivors."
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will make an opening speech by connecting to the conference via video conference method.
EU'S EARTHQUAKE REACTION
According to the information given by the EU officials, the Union has allocated more than 8 million Euros of humanitarian aid to meet the urgent needs in the provinces affected by the earthquake in Türkiye.
Within the first hours after the earthquake, 21 EU member states and other EU Civil Protection Mechanism participants sent 30 search and rescue teams and 6 medical teams. 18 EU member states shipped products such as shelter materials, medical equipment, food and clothing, and it was stated that the number of such products exceeded 2.6 million.
While EU officials frequently gave messages of solidarity with Türkiye on many platforms, they stated that the earthquake disaster could open a new page in relations.
