Minister Özhaseki noted at the “World Cities Day and Zero Waste Initiative Program Press Information Meeting” in New York that they continue to maintain contacts for a more livable world in the USA, where they came for the UN General Assembly.
Minister Özhaseki stated that the World Cities Day event will be held in Istanbul, hosted by Üsküdar Municipality, under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s wife, Emine Erdoğan, and that UN-Habitat will open an office in Turkey.
Pointing out that we are going through a period when cities are vulnerable to disasters, Özhaseki said that World Cities Day has a team on sustainability and that this is a well-chosen topic.
Stating that Turkey is one of the earthquake risk countries in the line extending from the Alps to the Himalayas and that 60 devastating earthquakes have occurred in Turkey in the last century, Özhaseki said that more than 50 thousand citizens lost their lives in the earthquakes on February 6, affecting 14 million people in 11 cities. He reminded me of what he lost.
Stating that many historical monuments and historical buildings were damaged in the cities affected by the earthquake, Mehmet Özhaseki said that their primary goal is to build housing for citizens who lost their homes.
Stating that the construction of more than 200 thousand houses is currently continuing rapidly and more than 250 thousand applications have been made to the On-Site Transformation Project in the earthquake zone, Özhaseki stated that those who apply for the project will be supported with grants and loans, and these people will be helped to build their own houses.
Pointing out that the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes were the biggest disaster in Anatolia in the last thousand years, Özhaseki stated that, on the one hand, they were rebuilding the cities, on the other hand, they made sure that the houses in question were reliable and durable, and that they were trying to establish “smart cities” in line with the zero waste approach.
The first face-to-face meeting of the Zero Waste Advisory Board is in Istanbul
Reminding that the first meeting of the Zero Waste Advisory Board was held online during UN Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif’s visit to Turkey, Minister Özhaseki announced that the first face-to-face meeting of the board, with participation from many countries, will be held in Istanbul on November 1.
Özhaseki stated that the UN Habitat Office, planned to be opened in Istanbul, will support and contribute to the work of the Zero Waste Advisory Board.
Answering questions about the earthquakes on February 6 and Turkey’s aid activities to countries affected by natural disasters, Özhaseki mentioned that the earthquake, which occurred very close to the earth, affected old cities with thousands of years of history.
Stating that the ground of the cities affected by the earthquake was examined with micro mapping studies and that the structures planned to be built will be durable and solid up to magnitude 10, Özhaseki said that under the leadership of President Erdoğan, they will deliver their homes to everyone who lost their homes in the earthquake zone as soon as possible.
Pointing out that Turkey was united after the earthquakes, Özhaseki said, “We saw children sending their bicycles to children living in the earthquake zone. And we witnessed some people postponing their Hajj obligations and sending their money to the earthquake zone. Four months have passed since the earthquakes, and this continues.” said.
Minister Özhaseki underlined that Turkey is first in the list of countries that provide the most humanitarian aid in the world in proportion to its gross national product and that they are doing their best to help all people in need, leaving the political agenda aside. He added that he offered assistance to Libya, which was exposed to the crisis, and that Turkey was ready to provide all the assistance it could if both countries requested.
