Turkey sent aid to at least 57 countries to fight virus: Minister

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

Turkey has so far delivered aid to at least 57 countries around the globe to help their fight against the coronavirus outbreak, the country's top diplomat has said.

"We provided medical equipment support to 57 countries," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on April 27.

While fighting the virus domestically with weekend lockdowns, quarantines and social isolation, Turkey continues to supply medical aid to many countries.

After getting aid requests from over 100 nations, Turkey has sent aid, medical supplies, and protective equipment to five continents, including countries badly hit by the virus, such as the U.K., Italy, and Spain.

To support the efforts against the pandemic, Turkey delivered medical aid to Germany, Hungary, Poland, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Georgia, as well as Balkan states such as Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Kosovo, as well as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Among others, Turkey also sent medical supplies to the US, Colombia, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Tunisia, Algeria, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, China, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Not neglecting Africa, Turkey also delivered aid to Sudan, Guinea, Somalia, Uganda, Lesotho, and Mozambique.

The aid packages include such items as testing kits, medical masks, protective overalls, gloves, and disinfectants.

Last week, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko thanked his Turkish counterpart Fahrettin Koca for medical supplies purchased from Turkey.

Top Turkish, Italian diplomats discuss coronavirus

In the meantime, Çavuşoğlu and his Italian counterpart on April 27 discussed measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus, according to diplomatic sources.

In a phone call, Çavuşoğlu and Luigi Di Maio also exchanged views on regional developments.