IOM Calls for More Support to Earthquakes Victims

The Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) António Vitorino called on international community to strengthen its efforts to ensure aid keeps reaching the millions of people who have been affected by the devastating earthquakes that hit Türkiye and Syria in February.

In a statement, he said: “I am in awe of IOM colleagues and our many partners who began responding within hours of the earthquake, despite being affected themselves. But now comes the long haul; standing in solidarity and action with Türkiye as it rebuilds and creates a new future for the millions whose lives have been torn apart,” added Mr Vitorino.

“These people are humanitarian heroes. We will never forget their sacrifices, and one of the reasons I am here is to pay tribute and condolences to them, and particularly to the families of the three IOM staff who perished. Our teams overcame complex coordination and logistical issues, as well as personal tragedies, to get aid rapidly to affected communities in Türkiye and Northwest Syria.”

Three days after the disaster, IOM was one of the first UN agencies to restart cross border assistance, visiting a logistics hub close to the border, which has been vital to the response as a transit point for thousands of tons of aid being brought into Northwest Syria. So far in the response, IOM has dispatched over 150 aid trucks across the border.