World repays its debt to Türkiye: Envoy

GAZİANTEP

The world’s aid mobilization for Türkiye was due to fact that the country extended a helping hand in many natural disasters, U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Jeff Flake has stated, saying “The world is repaying its debt to Türkiye.”

Türkiye previously provided humanitarian assistance to more than 50 countries in five continents in natural disasters, Flake said at a food distribution organization center in the earthquake-hit province of Gaziantep’s İslahiye district.

“A few weeks ago, when I met with the senates and my former colleagues in Washington, they asked me if we adequately helped Türkiye. I answered yes. This is because Türkiye has sent aid to over 50 countries in five continents,” Flake expressed.

“The world is now repaying its debt to Türkiye,” Flake said, adding that the international community sends assistance munificently to Türkiye as it showed the same generosity in the past.

Reminding that the U.S. government has announced $235 million in aid since the beginning of the earthquake disaster and has distributed some of it, Flake also stressed that governments should take responsibility for much more in a disaster of this scale.

With the participation of the U.S. private sector and several NGOs, about $120 million has been collected so far, Flake added.

Touching upon the World Central Kitchen’s meal distribution organization in the disaster zone, Flake underlined that these organizations that provide quake survivors food made with local ingredients are of greater importance especially during Ramadan when many people fast.

Flake ate with a family that broke fast in a tent after his speech.