President Erdoğan: Our state has taken action with all its institutions starting from the moment of the earthquake to help all affected by the quake
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a speech at Aziz Sancar Science, Service and Incentive Awards Ceremony.
Wishing a speedy recovery to the citizens and cities affected by today’s 6.6-magnitude earthquake in Izmir, President Erdoğan wished Allah’s mercy upon those who lost their lives.
“WE HAVE MOBILIZED ALL OUR MEANS TO COMPLETE SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”
President Erdoğan said: “Our search currently continues in 17 buildings. Our state has taken action with all its institutions starting from the moment of the earthquake to rescue citizens from under debris and help all affected by the quake. AFAD, security forces, healthcare units and other relevant public officials are selflessly fulfilling their duties. Our ministers have quickly arrived in the quake scene to conduct coordination right on the spot. We have mobilized all our means to complete search and rescue operation as soon as possible.”
Noting that Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan called to express their solidarity and wish a speedy recovery in the aftermath of the earthquake, President Erdoğan thanked all the friendly countries for their offer for support.
“THE PANDEMIC HAS COST OVER 1.2 MILLION LIVES THUS FAR”
Concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, President Erdoğan said that the pandemic has unfortunately been raging on in waves, and added: “An exact and final remedy has yet to be found for the pandemic, which has infected more than 45 million people and cost over 1.2 million lives thus far. Our biggest hope is the studies for a vaccine, which has already come to the stage of being put to use.”
While closely following vaccine studies in such countries as China, Russia and the U.S., Turkey has also been working hard to develop its own vaccine, the President stated. “I hope we will have reached by next spring a stage in which we can administer our own vaccine to our citizens. We also plan to put in the service of our citizens one or more than one of the vaccines approved of by our scientists by the year end. We aim to ensure that all our citizens, first and foremost high-risk groups, have access to the vaccine. In our view, the fourth meeting of the Health Scientific Board of the Turkic Council taking place during this period is a critical step to expand the means of cooperation and share experience.”
“WE HAVE SHARED OUR MEANS WITH 155 COUNTRIES AND EIGHT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC”
President Erdoğan said: “The world, particularly the developed countries have unfortunately performed badly in the issue of solidarity and cooperation. Let alone solidarity and cooperation, the oppressed and victims have been abandoned alone in the face of the pandemic. However, we, as Turkey, have indeed displayed an exemplary stance in this issue. We have seen it as our responsibility to rush to the aid of all without any discrimination on the basis of religion, language, race or region the world over. We have responded positively to the call for medical supply assistance from and shared our means with 155 countries and eight international organizations during the pandemic.”
“THE DISTANCE WE HAVE COVERED THUS FAR ALLOWS US TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE MORE CONFIDENTLY”
Drawing attention to Turkey’s young and highly-education population, President Erdoğan said: “We see that countries which left their marks on the previous age with their title of ‘developed’ are now having serious concerns about the future due to their losses related to population. We also know that these concerns are one of the underlying reasons for the rising Islamophobia and xenophobia in the west.”
Analyses about the ongoing global restructuring, which has further accelerated with the influence of the pandemic, describe Turkey as one of the rising stars of the future, the President stressed, and added: “We will have a brand-new Turkey once we successfully leave behind the critical period we are currently going through and attain our goals for 2023. The distance we have covered thus far allows us to look to the future more confidently than we did in the past. Our increasingly growing confidence in ourselves and our country helps us take stronger steps towards our vision for 2053. Despite all the attacks we face and all the obstacles raised in front of us, we are determined to make Turkey one of the leading countries in science besides other areas.”
