UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 14, 2023. (Xinhua/Xie E)
"Now is the time for the world to support the people of Türkiye -- just as they have stood in solidarity with others seeking assistance," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement on the launch of a humanitarian appeal for Türkiye.
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called for international support for the people of Türkiye in the wake of massive earthquakes.
"Now is the time for the world to support the people of Türkiye -- just as they have stood in solidarity with others seeking assistance," Guterres said in a statement on the launch of a humanitarian appeal for Türkiye.
Türkiye is home to the largest number of refugees in the world and has shown enormous generosity to its Syrian neighbors for years, he noted.
The United Nations is launching a humanitarian appeal worth 1 billion U.S. dollars for the people of Türkiye suffering from the devastating earthquakes. The funding, which covers a three-month period, will assist 5.2 million people and allow aid organizations to rapidly scale up vital support for government-led relief efforts in a number of areas, including food security, protection, education, water and shelter, he said.
"The needs are enormous, people are suffering and there's no time to lose. I urge the international community to step up and fully fund this critical effort in response to one of the biggest natural disasters of our times," said Guterres. ■
