Earthquake in Turkey and Syria: the World Bank announces an aid of 1.78 billion dollars
Steph Deschamps / February 10, 2023
The World Bank announced Thursday that it will provide $1.78 billion in aid to Turkey after a massive earthquake shook southern Turkey and Syria on Monday, killing at least 21,000 people.
This aid must first of all allow to help the relief, detailed the World Bank. But also target the needs in terms of reconstruction.
We are providing immediate assistance and preparing a rapid assessment of urgent and massive needs on the ground. This will help identify priority areas for recovery and reconstruction as we prepare operations to address these needs," said World Bank President David Malpass, quoted in the statement.
The total amount of this assistance consists of $780 million provided by the Contingent Emergency Response Components (CERCs) of two existing projects in Turkey.
And $1 billion will be provided by "to support those affected, with the World Bank providing immediate support for recovery and reconstruction after this disaster.
The World Health Organization (WHO) fears a major health crisis that would cause even more damage than the earthquake. Humanitarian organizations are particularly concerned about the spread of the cholera epidemic, which has reappeared in Syria.
The European Union sent initial relief supplies to Turkey hours after the earthquake on Monday. But it initially offered only minimal aid to Syria through existing humanitarian programs, due to international sanctions in place since the civil war began in 2011.
On Wednesday, Damascus formally requested assistance from the EU and the Commission asked member states to respond favorably to this request.