Turkey 'generously' hosts largest refugee population

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey has been "generously" hosting the world’s largest refugee population, UN High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) said on Tuesday.

“For us in UNHCR, the close cooperation with Turkey is of great value and importance, Turkey generously hosting the world’s largest refugee population," Katharina Lumpp, the UNHCR’s Turkey Representative, said in a statement.

Lumpp's remarks came during the signing ceremony of a letter of understanding between the UNHCR and Turkey's western Izmir province's governorate.

She said Turkey responds to the needs of refugees and asylum seekers, who arrived in the country, and adopted a "solid and comprehensive" legal framework through the Law on International Protection and Foreigners, and the Temporary Protection Regulation.

"As UNHCR, we are focusing our efforts in supporting the Government in responding to the most pressing protection and assistance needs through national and local services as well as to contribute to increasing self-reliance of refugees," Lumpp said.

She added Turkey has taken "remarkable" steps of allowing refugees to work and set up businesses.

"This enables them to become productive members of society and to contribute to the common good of the host country," she added.

Official data on Turkish efforts shows that the country has spent more than $25 billion from its own national resources for hosting more than three million refugees.