Turkey FM: Global response needed to support Syria refugees

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu yesterday urged the international community to aid Syrians amid diminishing relief efforts because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Cavusoglu described the current pandemic as “the ultimate stress test for the entire world. It has revealed our vulnerabilities and it has also shown our strengths. We have seen that good governance and effective state capacity matter.”

The minister maintained that “individual efforts will not be enough”, to contain the virus. “A global challenge requires a global response,” and it is here that the Turkish foreign minister is the most concerned.

Cavusoglu also pointed to the G20 as a more appropriate venue for a joint international response, especially as the world braces for an economic crisis that may pale in comparison to the financial crisis of 2008-2009.

READ: Turkey makes coronavirus treatment free

Stay home is the official advice to tackle coronavirus, but what if you don’t have a home? – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]