Turkey successful in fight against poverty, says minister

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

There is nobody in Turkey who has spent less than $1 a day over the last seven or eight months and the number of people who spend less than $2 is almost zero, Development Minister Cevdet Yılmaz said during his meeting with UNDP Assistant Secretary General Sigrid Kaag.

“The 10th Economic Development Plan of Turkey is of great importance in terms of social and economic development. Poverty has been decreasing in Turkey. While the share of people spending less than $4.5 was 30 percent 10 years ago, it is now 2.8 percent,” Yılmaz said.

Kaag addressed the rise in Turkey’s aid to the underdeveloped world, particularly mentioning a recent visit by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Somalia.

“Turkey’s positive attitudes to Somalia set an example for other countries,” she said, adding that the UNDP wanted to cooperate more with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in Africa, Central Asia and other regions.