UN launches $1 billion appeal to scale-up aid operations in Türkiye

NEW YORK:  The United Nations has launched a $1 billion appeal for Türkiye to assist more than five million people affected by the cataclysmic earthquakes last week, the largest to hit the country in a century.

The funding, which covers a three-month-period, will allow aid organisations to swiftly ramp up their operations to support Government-led response efforts in areas that include food security, protection, education, water, and shelter.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged the international community to step up and fully fund the response effort.

The UN’s Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, also called for countries to support the appeal.

Griffiths, who visited the country last week, said, “I met families who shared their stories of shock and devastation. We must stand with them in their darkest hour and ensure they receive the support they need.”