Distinguished Speaker, In light of this week's catastrophic earthquake, I am glad for the chance to express my sympathy with the governments and peoples of Turkey and Syria.
Mr. Speaker, on February 6, 2023, shortly after 4 a.m. local time, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck just before Turks and Syrians woke up to go about their daily lives. This earthquake sent shocks hundreds of kilometres away and created catastrophe zones on both sides of the Turkey-Syria border.
The horrifying turn of events, especially in Turkey, quickly came to the attention of the entire globe, and the heartbreaking photographs made everyone unhappy. Seven days of national mourning and a three-month state of emergency were swiftly imposed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 10 of the country’s provinces on Tuesday.
Mr. Speaker, it has been officially stated that since the start of this catastrophe, more than 15,000 people have regrettably died and 52,929 people have been hurt. The UN estimates that the accident has caused 300,000 people to be displaced, and for many more who are still trapped under the debris awaiting an overburdened rescue staff, time is running short.
With a little less than 8,000 individuals saved, the WHO anticipated that the death toll may rise eightfold.
The earthquake caused fires to spread throughout Turkey, notably the southern Iskenderun Port, where hundreds of containers caught fire. It is not an exaggeration to say that the earthquake's aftermath has resulted in apocalyptic destruction, Mr. Speaker.
The importance of highlighting the long-standing bilateral ties between Ghana and Turkey throughout the years, Mr. Speaker, cannot be overstated. Following Ghana's independence, diplomatic ties between Turkey and Ghana were established. However, the first Turkish embassy to open in Ghana since 1981 did not do so until February 1st, 2010.
It signalled the start of genuine friendship between the two countries. In fact, President Atta Mills made deliberate attempts to improve ties between the two countries.
The past presidents of Turkey, Mr. Abdullah Gül, who visited Ghana in March 2011, and Ghana's John Dramani Mahama, who visited Turkey in January 2013, respectively, set the path for future improvement and development of the relations.
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