EU chief Von der Leyen announces donor conference following Turkey, Syria earthquake

The EU to host a donor conference in March to mobilise international aid for Syria and Turkey following this week's devastating earthquake.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced a donor conference will take place in March to provide aid to Turkey and Syria following Monday's earthquake in the region. AP - Efrem Lukatsky

Speaking on Wednesday evening, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said, "We are now racing against the clock to save lives together. Soon we will provide relief aid, together.

"Turkiye and Syria can count on the EU."

The European Union said the conference would be held in Brussels early next month, in coordination with Turkish authorities "to mobilise funds from the international community in support for the people" of both countries. 

"No one should be left alone when a tragedy like this hits a people," von der Leyen said in a statement. 

The event is aimed at coordinating the international response to the disaster and "will be open to EU Member States, neighbouring countries, UN members" and international lenders.  

We are now racing against the clock to save lives together.

Soon we will provide relief aid, together.

Türkiye and Syria can count on the EU.
@SwedishPM and I will host a Donors' Conference early March in Brussels.

Let’s mobilise funds globally for the affected communities.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 8, 2023

Humanitarian response, not politics

Sweden, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, will co-chair the conference, at a moment when it is facing resistance from Turkey on its push to join NATO.  

Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson underlined, "Sweden wants to ensure that the EU's assistance is adequate to meet the need of the Turkish and Syrian people in this terrible time."

The European Union was quick to dispatch rescue teams to Turkey after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck on Monday close to the border with Syria.

• Race against time for rescuers in Turkey, Syria as quake toll tops 11,200

However, it initially offered only minimal assistance to Syria through existing humanitarian programmes because of EU sanctions imposed since 2011 on the government of President Bashar al-Assad in response to his brutal crackdown on protesters, which spiralled into a civil war.

On Wednesday, Damascus reportedly made an official plea to the EU for help.

Now that Damascus has made the request – through the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism that coordinates aid – the commission will ask European countries "to respond favourably to [the] request".