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Dubai: In the early hours of February 6, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria, killing more than 25,000 people and injuring at least 80,000.

Humanitarian aid has been flowing into the area in recent days. However, there are differences in the scale of support between the two countries.

This is partly due to the logistical challenges the region faces due to political divisions and poor infrastructure. But another factor is politics.

According to Dr Hossam Elsharkawi, Regional Director of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), political tensions must be excluded from humanitarian responses.

“Our focus is to do this type of work with the resources we have — often limited resources — to save as much life and as little suffering as possible,” Elsharkawi told Kay, host of the Arabic news talk show “Frankly.” Katie Jensen showcases interactions with leading policymakers and business leaders.

While aid began to arrive relatively quickly in Turkey’s quake-hit southeast, several factors contributed to delays, complicating relief efforts and humanitarian relief operations in northwestern Syria.

Syria is currently divided into three regions ruled by different factions, including rebels and other militant groups in the northwest of the country, a Kurdish-led autonomous government in the northeast, and the Syrian government in the center and south.

Bab Al-Hawa, the only crossing point for UN aid into Syria from Turkey, was forced to close due to earthquake damage, delaying deliveries to northwestern Syria for three days.

Asked whether Bashar al-Assad’s regime or international aid organizations bear any responsibility for the additional suffering of the Syrian people, Elsharkawi said: “As humanitarians, we don’t actually blame anyone.

“We deal with the fallout of diplomatic failure, of political failure, we deal with the humanitarian fallout by focusing on helping ordinary people and ordinary families who have been affected for 12 years — now exacerbated by two major earthquakes.”

After the quake, Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations, Bassam al-Sabagh, said the Syrian government should handle all deliveries of humanitarian aid, including to areas not controlled by Damascus.

Some observers believe that the Assad regime’s demand for sanctions relief is an opportunistic political strategy.

Elsharkawi says aid workers are apolitical when they do their jobs. “I have dealt with many Syrian professionals, doctors and nurses and other emergency responders who work in public authorities and they are not politicized.”

“They care, they want to care and expand aid to their people. Syria is not a failed state. Its public authorities continue to serve their people and we need to respect that.”

Elsharkawi continued: “What I have observed over the years is that aid has been coming through other channels like Iraq and Turkey. So we work with that. We don’t comment on that.

“We’re just working where we can. Delivering humanitarian aid in these situations is partly a workable art, but we’re also starting to get good news.”

Elsharkawi was referring to Washington’s decision to lift a ban on money transfers to Syria. “It’s important. We’ve seen how this crisis has affected politics for 12 years in a good way that has saved lives,” he said.

“We hope that other sanctions will be lifted as well, for example, against other countries’ procurement of certain supplies and commodities. So, that also gives us hope that we can continue to expand our operations.”

‘We don’t take sides. We only do what is possible. Humanitarian assistance in these situations is also partly an art of the possible.

Dr Hossam El Shaqawi

Elsharkawi said that apart from accessibility issues, the main reason for the discrepancy in aid delivery to Turkey and Syria was the impact of the latter’s civil war on public infrastructure.

“As a result of 12 years of war, Syria’s systems, response mechanisms … and infrastructure have largely been eroded and destroyed. So, this is a story of two very different responses,” he said.

According to United Nations statistics, by the beginning of 2023, more than 15 million Syrians will need humanitarian assistance.

A recent report by the Washington-based Middle East Institute found that 65 percent of infrastructure in northwestern Syria, home to nearly 3 million internally displaced people, had been damaged or destroyed before the quake.

Both Syria’s Assad and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have faced criticism for their handling of the disaster in their respective countries, with some in the latter accusing the government of not being adequately prepared.

Elsharkawi thinks this assessment is unfair. “It’s hard to be 100 percent prepared for these big events,” he said. “And, remember, we had two major earthquakes over a magnitude 7 within a few hours.”

He recalled his experience coordinating humanitarian aid during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which killed nearly 20,000 people.

“Even one of the most developed and industrialized countries in the world at the time…could not have dealt with that earthquake. So, yes, I understand that people need their needs and supplies immediately, but from what we’ve seen, Turkey’s red new The monthly council, Turkish emergency response agencies and the government are doing their best to use the resources they have,” Elsharkawi said.

Still, Turkiye’s handling of the disaster has highlighted stark ethnic and regional disparities, with many among the Kurdish minority living in the south of the country blaming authorities for widespread poor quality despite new building codes introduced in recent years. housing.

“Crisis can exacerbate tensions, and they can actually ease tensions if aid is distributed fairly — if we get people talking and focusing on the humanitarian mission and saving lives,” Elsharkawi said.

“People remember you saved their children, and they remember it for a long, long time, which sometimes makes relationships easier.

“I’m not going to comment on politics, but yes, it’s possible to prepare and rebuild better. You can build earthquake resistant structures, homes, hospitals and schools. It’s one thing to have the code. It’s another to enforce the code. So this It’s a challenge for many governments around the world.”

Elsharkawi said the IFRC would work with local authorities in the future to ensure that enforcement mechanisms for earthquake-resistant building construction were in place.

“In the long run, this will protect people,” he said. “If you had a magnitude 7.5 or 7.8 earthquake in Japan, it wouldn’t worry them because they’re building structures that can withstand magnitude 8 and magnitude 9 earthquakes. So, it’s possible. The technology is there. We’ve got to do more. Long-term work to bring it to the region.”

In the short term, Elsharkawi said, as the IFRC and other agencies deploy personnel and supplies to the region, coordination among humanitarian aid providers will be critical to prevent excess of some resources and shortage of others.

“For example, we try to do it in a coordinated way to make sure that not everyone is only provided with blankets and mattresses, but people may also need water, food and medicine. It is crucial that we meet all priority needs at the same time and not There’s too much of one item and not the other.”

Several countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, China and Venezuela, immediately sent aid such as food, blankets, tents, generators, fuel and medical supplies.

Elsharkawi stressed the importance of Saudi Arabia’s contribution to the ongoing relief efforts and aid.

“Saudi aid is critical,” he said. “They also asked us for a list of priorities to try to tailor the assistance and what was on board these planes. So it addressed a real need and a gap, which was greatly appreciated. It made a huge difference in saving lives.”

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) launched its “Sahem” fundraiser two days after the earthquake, raising more than $53 million in 48 hours for victims and survivors of the disaster.

King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also directed KSrelief to start operating an aid “air bridge” to deliver immediate aid to quake-hit areas.

“This is happening and will continue to happen, and we will continue to fine-tune the content of these air bridges,” Elsharkawi said, adding that Syria’s severe weather and cholera outbreak required tailored assistance.

Despite the litany of problems, many countries are putting politics aside in order to do their part.

“In fact, that’s what we’re calling on everyone to do — focus on the humanitarian imperative and put politics on hold for a few weeks, maybe months,” Elsharkawi said, adding that delivering aid could take a longer commitment.

IFRC appeals for $200 million in aid for Syria and Turkey.

“It’s a massive aid package that takes more than days and weeks. We’re looking here for a two- to three-year plan because we know what it’s like to deal with these big earthquakes and disasters,” Elsharkawi said.

“We hope that international and regional countries will contribute generously and generously.”

Elsharkawi revealed that while the sanctions are still ongoing, the IFRC is in touch with countries willing to assist Syria. “It’s the quiet diplomacy that we do, and that’s what I call the silver lining,” he said.