Belgium provides additional two million euros for Syrian earthquake victims

Belgium is releasing an extra 2 million euros to support Syrian victims of the earthquake that hit the country six weeks ago. Minister for Development Cooperation Caroline Gennez announced the additional support following a European Union donor conference in Brussels on Monday.

The devastating earthquakes in early February claimed the lives of more than 55,000 people in Turkey and northern Syria. Millions in the region now depend on humanitarian aid. The additional funds announced today by the Belgian government are focused on Syria as the situation there is most dire, according to Gennez. Due to the ongoing conflict, humanitarian needs in the country were already very high, and millions had to leave their belongings behind. The earthquake added another 500,000 people.

The Belgian funds will go to EU-based humanitarian partner organisations that have worked in the area for some time and therefore know the victims' needs. The new aid package will mainly provide shelter, hygiene and sanitation facilities and medical care. Earlier, our country donated 4 million euros to a UN fund providing resources to rebel-occupied Syria areas.

Shortly after the earthquakes, the European Union provided support on the ground, such as search and rescue and medical teams, medicine, shelter, and so on. Almost 12 million euros were released in humanitarian aid to meet immediate needs in Turkey and 10 million in aid to Syrian victims. Belgium previously provided materials for a field hospital on the scene.

(BRV)

^{© PHOTO Yasin AKGUL / AFP}