TURKISH AID TO GAZA THIS YEAR HITS $75.6M

Gaza, 11 Shaban 1436/29 May 2015 (MINA) – A spokesman for Turkey’s ministry of foreign affairs has revealed that aid to the Gaza Strip so far this year amounts to $75.6 million. In the past ten years, explained Tanju Bilgic, Turkey’s total aid to Palestine has reached $369 million; in 2014 alone, the figure was $76.3 million.

Bilgic pointed out that during the Gaza reconstruction conference held in Cairo last October, Turkey pledged to provide $200 million in aid between 2015 and 2017.

“The total value of the projects that we have completed in Gaza as of 2015 through the premier’s Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) is nearly $1.5 million,” he said, “while $25.8 million is the value of on-going projects.” Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reports as quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).

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That’s in addition to projects that are planned to be implemented with a value of approximately $11.3 million.

“We are about to start distributing aid introduced this year by the prime minister’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and the Turkish Red Crescent worth $34 million,” added Bilgic. He noted that Turkey would continue its work without interruption in order to meet all the needs of the Palestinians.

According to Anadolu, diplomatic sources report that Turkish Foreign Minister Mouloud Jawish Ihsanoglu told the Council of Foreign Affairs of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation in Kuwait that he had met his Palestinian counterpart, Riyad Al-Malki and discussed Turkey’s aid to Palestine. (T/P002/R04)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)