Turkish municipal union to visit Syria to address needs of cities

ANKARA

A delegation from the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (TBB) will soon embark on a visit to Syria to assess the needs of Syrian cities in the post-Assad era and foster avenues of collaboration, announced Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who also chairs the union.

"As the TBB, we have decided to dispatch a delegation to Syria in the shortest possible time. The purpose is to evaluate the requirements of Syrian cities on-site, reestablish and anchor cooperation between the municipalities of both nations on a sustainable foundation and orchestrate the support of our member municipalities," İmamoğlu stated during an event in the capital Ankara on Dec. 27

“It is the perspective of Türkiye to envision a future Syria where stability and peace prevail.”

The TBB has committed to shouldering its share of responsibility during this process, both to safeguard Türkiye’s security and to facilitate the voluntary returns of Syrian refugees to their homeland, İmamoğlu said.

The decision to initiate this mission was reached collectively by all municipalities under the union, he said, adding that the delegation’s initial visit is expected to focus on the Syrian capital Damascus.

İmamoğlu emphasized that local governments in Türkiye stand ready to provide robust support at the highest level to aid Syria in its recovery and reconstruction endeavors.