The head of the UN for Humanitarian Affairs will travel to Syria to assess the needs after the earthquakes

Latest Turkey and Syria earthquake news

9 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, is in Turkey and this weekend he will travel to Syria to assess the needs of the population affected by the devastating earthquakes earlier in the week, which have already left more than 19,000 deceased.

This visit by Griffiths to the affected areas is given by order of the UN Secretary General himself, Antonio Guterres, and will take him to the cities where the effects of the tremor have been the most devastating, such as Gaziantep, in southern Turkey; or Aleppo, in northern Syria. He will also travel to the capital of that last country, Damascus.

Griffiths’ main objective will be to check the situation and assess how the United Nations can help. Guterres himself has pointed out in a statement the importance of guaranteeing humanitarian access through roads that have been significantly damaged, as well as increasing support for the humanitarian fund and the Syrian cross-border fund.

“They are the best options to allow the UN and its humanitarian partners to respond quickly to people in need (…) Early next week, we will launch an urgent appeal for donor support to those affected by the earthquake in Syria”, added the Secretary General of the United Nations.

Beyond the needs to guarantee access to the affected areas and population, Guterres has taken the opportunity to value the response of the UN agencies, which together with various NGOs, are already offering their work on the ground in Syria and evaluating Initial financing requirements.

“In the face of this epic disaster, I strongly call on the international community to show the people of Turkey and Syria the same kind of support and generosity with which they welcomed, protected and helped millions of refugees and displaced persons in a huge display. of solidarity”, he added.

FIRST HUMANITARIAN CONVOY

The south of Turkey and the north of Syria were shaken on Monday by a succession of earthquakes that have already left more than 19,000 dead together between the two countries, according to the official balances of the respective authorities. Guterres has come to classify what happened as “one of the greatest natural disasters of our time.”

“We mourn the loss of so many, and the tragic number continues to rise. Thousands of buildings have collapsed. Tens of thousands of people are exposed to unrelenting winter conditions. Schools and hospitals have been destroyed. Children are enduring terrible trauma,” he said. summarized Guterres.

Given this, the United Nations has already sent a first convoy of humanitarian aid to Syria through the Bab al Hawa border crossing, in the northwest of the country. This included up to six trucks with relief supplies and sheds, although Guterres stressed that “more help is on the way.”