Brussels: In response to the earthquake that devastated parts of the neighbouring countries last month, the European Union and international donors pledged seven billion euros ($7.5 billion) on Monday to assist Turkey and Syria.
The 27-nation bloc will raise 3.3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) of the total, according to Ursula von der Leyen, president of the EU's executive branch. More than 52,000 people were killed by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake on February 6; the majority of them were in Turkiye.
According to the president of the nation, nearly 300,000 buildings in Turkiye either collapsed or suffered significant damage.
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According to Von der Leyen, the international commitment included 1.1 billion euros from the EU's executive arm and 500 million euros from the European Investment Bank, both of which were backed by the EU budget. "We have shown to the people in Turkiye and Syria that we are supporting those in need," Von der Leyen said.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, spoke at the conference via videolink and discussed some of the difficulties with reconstruction, including the fatal floods that struck parts of the earthquake zone last week.
According to him, some of the aftershocks have been occurring for a while and are of the same magnitude as a different earthquake. "We have been struggling with the devastating floods and difficult weather. According to Erdogan, the earthquake affected 11 provinces, and approximately 298,000 buildings were either destroyed or rendered unusable.
the cost of reconstruction will be $104 billion. "No single country can fight against such a disaster, regardless of its level of economic development," he said. "This conference's contributions from you will help this disaster's wounds heal and leave no trace behind."
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NGOs, G-20 nations, UN members, international financial institutions, and Sweden, which is currently holding the rotating EU presidency, all attended the conference that was hosted by the European Commission.
Due to severe divisions exacerbated by the nation's 12-year war, survivors of the earthquake in rebel-held northwest Syria have received very little aid. 15.3 million Syrians out of a total population of 21.3 million, according to the EU, already needed humanitarian aid before the earthquake.
Since 2011, the bloc has been giving Syria humanitarian aid, and they want to increase it. But given that EU sanctions are in place against President Bashar Assad's regime in Syria as a result of its continued crackdown against civilians, it has no intention of aiding in the reconstruction of the war-torn nation.
On Monday, the Commission, according to von der Leyen, pledged an additional 108 million euros ($115.8 million) in humanitarian aid for Syria.
Together, we raised 950 million euros ($1 billion) for the people of Syria with the help of our partners, she said. "This is only the beginning. An organisation that responds to humanitarian crises, the International Rescue Committee, had urged donors to make sure that the $1 billion and $397 million (respectively) UN appeals for Syria and Turkey are fully funded.
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Tanya Evans, the IRC's Country Director in Syria, said, "The people impacted by this devastating earthquake are depending on donors meeting in Brussels to step up this week.
"They need to make sure that money is available for necessities such as food, shelter, warm clothing, and clean water, as well as support for the already underdeveloped healthcare system, such as the provision of medications and medical equipment. The most helpless people will suffer if they don't," she added.
