On Monday 13 February 2023, the European Commission confirmed that, following the devastating earthquake affecting both Syria and Turkey last week, the European Union (EU) is continuing to work on all fronts to channel emergency assistance to both countries.
In Syria, the European Humanitarian Response Capacity is providing rapid relief to people affected by the earthquake. EU stockpiles in Italy and Dubai have been mobilised to deliver emergency supplies, including items such as tents, heaters, blankets, water, sanitation and hygiene kits and kitchen sets. This aid will be distributed both in government-controlled areas together with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and in non-government-controlled areas in Northwest Syria in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). In addition, the Commission is looking at opportunities for a Team Europe approach, working with Member States to mobilise shelter items from their stocks.
Furthermore, via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), ten European countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Slovenia and Norway) have offered thousands of tents, blankets, sleeping bags, mattresses, beds, generators, heaters, medicines, food, winter clothing, masks, etc. to the Syrian people. Two Liaison Officers of the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) will be deployed to Beirut on Monday (13 February) to support the coordination of incoming EU assistance for Syria. This comes on top of an additional initial amount of €3.5 million of humanitarian assistance to cover the most urgent needs, such as shelter and non-food items, water and sanitation, health, and search and rescue.
As outlined by President Ursula von der Leyen in her phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday 12 February 2023, the Commission will mobilise additional support and respond to Turkey's request for assistance. Already 21 EU Member States and three UCPM Participating States have offered a total of 38 teams. In total, 1,652 rescuers and 105 search dogs have been offered by European countries. The Commission is also channelling assistance from twelve EU Member States for emergency shelter items and is providing Relief Housing Units from the rescEU reserve hosted by Sweden, as well as thousands of tents beds hosted by Romania to be deployed to Turkey.
