Balkans | Qatar mobilizes efforts to help earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria

Qatar was one of the countries that supported the people of Turkey and Syria in the earthquake that killed thousands of people on February 6.

From the first moment of the earthquake, the Doha administration established an air bridge to provide assistance to the earthquake victims. In addition to official aid, organizations in Qatar have also launched campaigns to collect in-kind and cash aid.

By orders of the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamed Al-Sanea, the concerned institutions and organizations have taken measures to provide all kinds of assistance to the earthquake victims.

In addition to the ongoing aid campaigns, Qatar is also sending search and rescue teams, tents, medical supplies and container homes to the area.

Support and solidarity across the country

Within the scope of the airlift established on the first day of the earthquake, the international search and rescue team of the Qatar Internal Security Force (Lehvia) moved to the earthquake zones with their special equipment. In this context, the Doha administration sent 4 planes carrying a fully equipped field hospital, medical supplies, tents, heaters and 12 vehicles.

Emir Sheikh Tamim donated 50 million riyals ($14 million) to the aid campaign, which was broadcast live on Qatari television on February 10, while a total of 168 million riyals (about $46 million) was collected.

Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Sanea also discussed means of coordinating international efforts for relief and rescue operations in the quake-affected areas of Kahramanmaraş in a meeting with his US counterpart Anthony Blinken on February 11 in Washington.

On the evening of the same day, the Turkish flag was raised over the symbolic buildings of Qatar and a message of solidarity with Turkey was sent.

Visit of the Emir of Qatar to Turkey

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamed Al Thani met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on February 12. Sheikh Tamim made a statement on his Twitter account regarding the visit, “We expressed our solidarity with our brothers, our support and our contribution to efforts to heal the wounds of this disaster.” He rated it.

Following the visit, official institutions and relief organizations announced that they would provide urgent aid to the people of Turkey and Syria.

In the information provided by the press office of Turkish Airlines on February 12, it was reported that a total of 46 tons of relief materials were brought to Adana from Doha on a direct flight from Qatar, one passenger plane and another cargo plane.

He stated that within the framework of humanitarian aid from Qatar, blankets, clothes, medicines, hygiene items, baby food and necessary foodstuffs were sent to the earthquake zone.

Khalifa bin Kasim Al-Kafari, director of the Qatar Fund for Development, said in a statement on February 12 that they had started shipping 10,000 containers to earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria, based on the instructions of Sheikh Tamim. On the same day, a cargo ship and 306 container homes were sent to the quake zones.

The Qatar Fund for Development also announced that it would support the search and rescue efforts of the Syrian Civil Defense teams.

International Search and Rescue Group team

Qatar International Search and Rescue Group teams have been coordinating the work of search and rescue teams of international organizations in Gaziantep since day one.

The country team has experience in search and rescue in similar disasters and crises in the world, and it carried out this mission with a mandate from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The Turkish Embassy in Doha also reported on February 8 that a 12-year-old boy was rescued by the Qatari search and rescue team from the rubble in the Nordaçi district of Gaziantep.

Qatar Red Crescent

The Qatar Red Crescent, in coordination with the Turkish Red Crescent, launched a humanitarian aid campaign worth $10 million to deliver it to the earthquake victims.

By calling on Qataris to respond to the call for help made to help the earthquake victims, the Qatar Red Crescent was also one of the first organizations to reach Syria.

Field teams at Qatar Charity began distributing emergency humanitarian aid to the earthquake victims, in conjunction with the emergency support campaign under the title “Help earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria”. The Foundation distributes hot meals to 27,000 people in Turkey and Syria.

In a statement issued by the Foundation, it was announced that a convoy of 4 trucks containing medical supplies, first aid, clothes, dates and foodstuffs left Doha to the earthquake zones.

In the statement, it prepared a plan worth 21.9 million riyals (6 million dollars), which includes 7.3 million riyals (about 2 million dollars) for emergency response and 14.6 million riyals (about 3 million and 800 thousand dollars) for early recovery and specific reconstruction projects.

The Foundation also sent 13 tons of relief materials and about 4,000 blankets through the air bridge opened by Qatar.

Support from the public and companies

On the other hand, the state-owned Qatar Regulatory Authority for Charities (RACA) launched an emergency campaign called “Avn ve Sened” (Help and Support) for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.

The campaign was implemented in partnership with Qatar Charity and the Qatar Red Crescent, and in cooperation with Qatar Media Corporation.

In addition to the assistance efforts of the Doha administration, many private companies and individuals in the country have undertaken various initiatives to support earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.

Businesses and restaurants donated some of their income to the earthquake victims.

In addition, there was extensive participation in the in-kind aid campaign launched by the Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center and the Qatar Turkish School in cooperation with the Qatar Red Crescent on February 7 for the earthquake victims in Turkey.

On February 10, the Turkish embassy in Doha announced that the first part of the aid, amounting to 5 tons, had been sent to the region via Turkish Airlines.

The embassy extended acceptance of donations until February 15, after the donors showed great demand for in-kind donations.