The aid collected in a week in the Gulf countries for the victims of the earthquakes in Kahramanmaras in Turkiye and Syria has exceeded $370 million.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman official authorities and charitable organizations launched aid campaigns after the Kahramanmaras-centered earthquakes, which were described as the “disaster of the century”.
The people of the Gulf showed great solidarity by showing great interest in the aid campaigns for the earthquake victims in Turkiye and Syria.
AA correspondent compiled the aid from the Gulf countries.
Saudi Arabia
The amount collected in the aid campaign launched for the earthquake victims in Turkiye and Syria in the Sahem Platform of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid Center exceeded 344 million 849 thousand 604 riyals ($89.2 million).
In the statement made by the Sahem Platform on February 12, it was stated that 1 million 545 thousand 729 people made donations within the scope of the campaign.
In addition, 7 planes and a 95-person search and rescue team, 55 medical personnel and the Saudi Red Crescent delegation, representatives of the King Salman Relief Organization, humanitarian aid materials and all of the sanitary equipment arrived in the earthquake zone from Saudi Arabia.
Qatar
Emir Sheikh Tamim donated 50 million riyals ($14 million) to the aid campaign broadcast live on Qatari state television on February 10. A total of 168 million riyals (approximately $46 million) of aid was collected in the campaign.
The Doha administration has also started to send the first part of the 10 thousand container houses that it has undertaken as part of aid to the earthquake-affected regions in Turkiye and Syria.
Qatar Charity announced on February 12 that the aid collected in the first phase of the donation campaign it launched for aid in earthquake areas exceeded 6 million riyals ($1.6 million).
In the statement, it was stated that it has prepared a plan worth 21.9 million riyals ($6 million), which includes 7.3 million riyals (approximately $2 million) emergency response and 14.6 million riyals (approximately $3 million 800 thousand) reconstruction and early response projects.
Qatar Red Crescent, in coordination with the Turkish Red Crescent, launched a humanitarian aid campaign of $10 million to be delivered to earthquake victims.
Qatar Stars League Sports Authority, on the other hand, stated that the ticket income of the semi-final matches of the Qatar Football Cup will be allocated for the benefit of the earthquake victims in Turkiye and Syria.
Within the framework of social initiatives, Dar al-Sark Media Group decided to donate the income from the sale of four newspapers (Es-Sark, Al-Arab, Lusail, The Peninsula) within a week, starting from Thursday, February 9, to the people of the two countries.
UAE
UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan donated $50 million of aid each to Turkiye and Syria, the friendly and brotherly countries affected by the earthquakes.
Al Nahyan’s mother, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarek, also donated $13 million 600 thousand for earthquake victims.
UAE Red Crescent launched a comprehensive aid campaign for Turkiye and Syria. As part of the “Bridges of Goodness” aid campaign, cash and in-kind donations will be collected in centers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai for 2 weeks.
UAE-based company Al-Ansari Exchange announced that it has donated $1 million to help those affected by the disaster.
It was noted that the ticket revenues of the semi-final and final matches of the “Mubadele Abu Dhabi Open” women’s tennis tournament held in the UAE will be donated to the earthquake victims in Turkiye and Syria within the framework of the “Bridges of Goodness” aid campaign launched by the UAE Red Crescent.
Kuwait
The Kuwaiti government announced on February 9 that it would donate $30 million to Turkiye and Syria to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the earthquake.
Kuwait Ministry of Social Affairs also organized an aid campaign with the theme “Kuwait is with You”. In the campaign, which continued for 12 hours on February 11 on Kuwaiti state television, the aid provided by more than 129 thousand people and organizations exceeded $67 million.
Associations, public benefit foundations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and the public participated in the campaign.
Bahrain
At the instruction of the King of Bahrain, Hamed bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Royal Humanitarian Studies Foundation launched a donation campaign for urgent humanitarian aid to Turkiye and Syria.
The institution called on all organizations, companies in the private sector and the public to contribute to the campaign.
Bahrainis also provided in-kind aid for earthquake victims.
Oman
Humanitarian organizations and charitable organizations in Oman collected donations and aid through the Oman Relief Activities Authority.
In the news published in the Oman media, it was stated that the country’s administration and people were mobilized to reduce the effects of the devastating earthquake in Turkiye and Syria.
In a statement on its Twitter account, Oman Dar al-Ata Association announced that it started a financial donation campaign with the theme of “Pain and Hope” for the regions affected by the earthquake without specifying a certain period of time.
In the Oman newspapers, Shaybe announced that about 250 thousand riyals (approximately $650 thousand) were collected in 48 hours in the donation campaign he started to support the earthquake victims in Syria and Turkiye.
Intense participation was achieved in the in-kind aid campaign organized for earthquake victims in Turkiye in Muscat, the capital of Oman. Approximately 4.5 tons of in-kind aid was collected during the campaign.
Source: AA / Prepared by Irem Yildiz