NATO, UN, EU show solidarity with Turkey over earthquake disaster

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has expressed full solidarity with Turkey following a major earthquake hit the country on Monday.

“Full solidarity with our ally Türkiye in the aftermath of this terrible earthquake. I am in touch with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, and NATO allies are mobilizing support now,” Stoltenberg said via Twitter.

Full solidarity with our Ally #Türkiye in the aftermath of this terrible earthquake. I am in touch with President @RTErdogan and Foreign Minister @MevlutCavusoglu, and #NATO Allies are mobilizing support now.

— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) February 6, 2023

UN agencies also launched emergency response after Turkey and Syria quakes.

“UN aid agencies have scrambled to help many thousands of reported victims, including those still believed to be buried under the rubble,” it said.

The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said "My heart goes out to the people of Türkiye and Syria in this hour of tragedy," adding the UN is fully committed to supporting the response.

“Our teams are on the ground assessing the needs and providing assistance,” he said. The UN was counting on the international community to help the many thousands caught up in the disaster, he added.

The UN General Assembly on Monday also stand in a minute's silence in mourning for those who lost their lives in the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria.

The European Union’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre was also coordinating the deployment of rescue teams from Europe, Janez Lenarcic, the member of the EU Commission responsible for crisis management and humanitarian aid, said.

“The EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre is coordinating the deployment of rescue teams from Europe. Teams from the #Netherlands & #Romania are already on their way,” he said on Twitter.