Turkey gives about as much in foreign aid as US: FM Çavuşoğlu
TIRANA - Anadolu Agency
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (L) speaks with the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Gramoz Ruçi.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has hailed Turkey’s efforts on humanitarian aid, comparing $8 billion in Turkish aid in 2017 to $6-7 billion in aid from the U.S., which has the world’s largest GDP.
“Turkey is at the highest level in humanitarian aid. Last year we spent $8 billion and the U.S. — the richest country in the world — spent $6 or 7 billion,” Çavuşoğlu said on Oct. 18 in the Albanian capital Tirana at the University of New York Tirana’s school year opening ceremony.
“I’m just giving an example. In 2016, the U.S. spent $6.3 billion while Turkey spent $6 billion. The U.S. was first, Turkey second,” he said.
Founded in 2002, the University of New York Tirana is Albania’s first private university, and Turkey’s Maarif Foundation (TMV) assumed stewardship of the school this August.
Çavuşoğlu said Turkey is dealing with many problems in the region such as terrorism and migration, stressing Turkey helps 3.5 million Syrians and more than a half million migrants from other countries.
International institutions must be transformed to be more comprehensive and representative, he also said.
“International institutions and systems should be more visible and more effective. They need to be reformed,” said Çavuşoğlu.
“Which policy of the European Union is satisfactory for the Western Balkans? Can the U.N. represent the world of today? No. Is it comprehensive? No. Representative? No. Can it prevent any conflict? No. Can the U.N. bring solutions to any problems or conflicts today through peaceful negotiations and mediation?” the minister added.
The Turkish government has long pushed for the U.N. Security Council to be larger and more representative of the entire world, a view reiterated mostly by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
