The Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, had a telephone conversation with His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, Mr. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, following the devastating earthquake that left behind a heavy toll of deaths and injuries and great damage to residential buildings, public facilities and the main infrastructure.
During this call, His Excellency the Secretary-General offered his sincere condolences, on behalf of the OIC General Secretariat and the Member States, to the people and government of Türkiye, expressing his sympathy for the victims of this painful disaster, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured and speedy relief for those trapped under the rubble of buildings damaged by the severity and violence of the earthquake.
Also informed the Turkish Foreign Minister that the General Secretariat had made an urgent appeal to the member states and OIC’s humanitarian institutions, as well as to international partners, in order to urge them to move quickly and provide the necessary humanitarian support to the victims of the devastating earthquake. In this context, His Excellency the Secretary-General requested the Islamic Solidarity Fund to do what is necessary to provide relief to those afflicted by this disaster.
The Secretary-General also praised the efforts of the Turkish authorities and rescue teams, which moved quickly and effectively to confront the catastrophic repercussions of the earthquake, provide means of support for those affected, and rescue the injured trapped under the demolished buildings. He also praised the Member States that acted in a timely manner and provided humanitarian support and contributed to the rescue operations of the victims.
From his side, the Turkish Foreign Minister thanked the Secretary-General for his call and for the solidarity he showed with the Turkish people and briefed the Secretary-General on the efforts made by the Turkish government to deal with this disaster.—PR
