Earthquake hit Turkey helped yet Syria ignored by most EU states

Thursday, 16 February 2023 1:57 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 16 February 2023 1:57 PM ]

Lives have been saved in Turkey following the recent earthquakes because the country had access to heavy lifting machinery. Experts say many lives were lost in Syria because sanctions prevented the country from having similar equipment.

That catastrophe has just been debated in the European Parliament.

Following the disaster, I contacted one of the largest aid agencies in Syria. I've spoken to Italian agencies and other NGOs. They all told me that the EU sanctions present an obstacle to humanitarian work.

Gyorgy Holvenyi, Hugarian MEP

Only nine EU nations help with Syria's humanitarian catastrophe

Following devastating earthquakes last week, only nine EU member states provide emergency assistance to Syria compared to twenty-one with respect to Turkey.

European Commission officials told legislators that just nine of the EU's 27 member states have supplied Syria with support, whereas, 21 have scrambled to help Turkey.

The Commission also allocated an additional €3.5 million in emergency humanitarian funding to help our partners address urgent needs in Syria.

Janez Lenarcic, EU Crisis Management Commissioner

This €3.5 million for Syrians pales into insignificance when compared to the €67 billion spent by the EU on Ukraine during the past 11 months.

The earthquake is one of the most destructive disasters in decades and has added to the devastation in a region already roiling from years of conflict and economic and humanitarian crises.

Humanitarian crisis in Syria after quake

Syrians have been left feeling forgotten as the impact of war and sanctions hampers aid efforts in the aftermath of the massive quake that has left tens of thousands dead in Syria and Turkey.

Experts have been saying for years that the bloc lacks unity when it comes to Syria.

Countries are acting in their own way; there is no coordinated action. And this is one of the reasons that we're faced with this very big crisis, this mega crisis.

Shada Islam, EU Affairs Specialist

The siege and EU-US economic sanctions imposed on Syria are severely hampering relief work in quake-stricken areas of the country.

Syrian Red Crescent calls on West to lift sanctions to support rescue efforts

Syria calls on the West to lift the siege and economic sanctions imposed on the country to help eliminate the consequences of the recent devastating earthquake.

Efforts by Western nations to overthrow President Bashar Al Assad have failed. Critics say interventionism has brought misery to millions of innocent people in the country. Some lawmakers want the pressure to be paused.

In Syria there are sanctions. We don't want to see more people die in the cold. They don't have medicines. We must put politics aside and human life first.

Maria Grapini, Romanian MEP