UN official urges international community to be generous to Türkiye

By Dildar Baykan Atalay

ANKARA (AA) – A UN official called on the international community to be generous to Türkiye, noting the help that the country provided Syrians fleeing war and its efforts for the Black Sea grain deal.

“Turkey has been a host to many refugees from different parts of the world, and particularly Syria. So, people should remember that and be generous because Türkiye has been generous to others,” UN Resident Coordinator in Türkiye, Alvaro Rodriguez, told Anadolu.

“Now is the time for the international community, to in a sense, pay back that generosity now that Türkiye needs that,” he said.

Rodriguez said the international community should remember “everything that Türkiye has done for the Syrian refugees, what is done on the Black Sea green initiative, and all the aid that Türkiye and AFAD (Turkish disaster agency) have provided to other countries in their time of need. And we hope that all of those countries will reciprocate with Türkiye at this time of need in the country.”

Regarding the UN’s $1 billion appeal for twin victims in Türkiye, Rodriguez said the money will be used in the humanitarian phase of the disaster in the initial three months.

“Once that search and rescue phase is over, you need to move into what we call the full humanitarian phase. And that is the phase for which we've requested the $1 billion,” he said. “And that phase is where you need to, of course, and it's already started, when they relocate people to temporary camps, provide tents, hygiene kits, other equipment for people to be able to have a dignified life, while they are in the temporary settlements.”

- Very intensive period ahead

Rodriguez said there is a very intensive period ahead and UN bodies have already begun to strategize the three-month period.

He said after the end of the initial three months, and at the end of search and rescue efforts, the next phase will be “recovery and full reconstruction.”

“So, it's a very intensive period, this three months,” said Rodriguez. “The earthquake was very shallow, meaning it was close to the surface. And it's very close to large urban settlements.”

Proper and earthquake-resistant buildings should be reconstructed in the 11 provinces that were affected by the earthquake for the next phase, he said.

Rodriguez also said reconstruction should happen in a sustainable way to prevent future disasters and consider climate change.

“We must be aware of the other challenges that face Türkiye and face the planet. And that is climate change. So, we must build also in a way that this is more according to the principles of sustainability,” he said.