Visits to Türkiye by Commissioner Elisa Ferreira and Commissioner Iliana Ivanova and EU-Türkiye High Level Dialogue on Health

Commissioner Ferreira in Türkiye to visit areas recovering from the devastating 2023 earthquakes with the help of EU Solidarity Fund support

Tomorrow, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira will begin a two-day visit to Türkiye to see first-hand how EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) support has helped the country recover after the devastating earthquakes that hit the region of Gaziantep in February 2023.  

Following the signature of the agreement for EUSF assistance in February 2024, the Commission has transferred the €400 million grant from the EU Solidarity Fund to Türkiye, in line with the EU’s pledge of €1 billion of support to Türkiye at the International Donors’ Conference in March 2023.  

Ahead of the visit, Commissioner Ferreira said: “This catastrophe, one of the worst in the country’s history, shocked us all as we saw the devastating effects it had on local communities and the economy. In solidarity with the Turkish people, the EU was quick to mobilise €400 million from the EU Solidarity Fund, the highest amount ever awarded to a candidate country, as part of the €1 billion support pledged by the EU at the International Donors’ Conference. EU support is a tangible expression of our solidarity, and the EUSF helps to turn our words into concrete actions on the ground.” 

During the visit, Commissioner Ferreira will hold meetings with members of government, including Hakan Fidan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mehmet Kemal Bozay, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mehmet Şimşek, Minister for Treasury and Finance, and Ali Yerlikaya, Minister for Interior, to discuss the implementation of EUSF aid. 

On Thursday, the Commissioner will visit the earthquake-affected region of Gaziantep. In the town of Nurdağı, she will meet with residents impacted by the earthquakes and see the temporary homes that were built in response to its devastating effects. A press point for local journalists will be organised at 11:45 at the Temporary Accommodation Area (commonly referred to as ‘Container City’), at NUR 1 Konteyner Kent, Olucak, 27840 Nurdağı/Gaziantep.  

Afterwards, the Commissioner will visit an emergency hospital currently under construction in Nurdağı, followed by a meeting in Gaziantep with the Mayor and Governor of the region, which will include a short press point, and a visit to the Mosaic Museum. 

 

Commissioner Ivanova visits Türkiye for second EU-Türkiye High-Level Dialogue on Science, Research, Technology and Innovation

Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, visits Istanbul tomorrow for an EU-Türkiye High Level Science, Research, Technology and Innovation Dialogue. Commissioner Ivanova will hold discussions with Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye, on topics of common interest related to green growth and digital transformation. 

A series of meetings and events will be organised during the visit. Commissioner Ivanova will award the European Prize for Women Innovators Award to Professor Rana Sanyal. The Commissioner will also participate at the European Innovation Council (EIC) Plug-in Scheme Award ceremony recognising the performance of three Turkish national innovation programmes, and the inauguration of the Boğaziçi University Life Science Centre. 

This dialogue is a crucial opportunity to evaluate the collaborative efforts in digital education and entrepreneurial skills. By the end of this year, the Commission will set up a Community Hub of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) in Türkiye. This Hub will serve as a one-stopshop, providing local innovators with information on the services and opportunities offered by the EIT.

 

Commissioner Kyriakides in Türkiye to participate in the EU-Türkiye High Level Dialogue on Health

Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, is in Ankara today to participate in the EU-Türkiye High Level Dialogue (HLD) on Health, with Dr. Fahrettin Koca, Minister of Health of Türkiye.

The participants in the High-Level Dialogue will discuss shared priorities and matters of mutual interest in health, such as cross-border health threats, cancer prevention, treatment and care, mental health and cooperation in mitigating climate change. They will exchange best practices and discuss areas for further cooperation.

This is the second edition of the Dialogue, following its inaugural meeting in November 2021. The first Dialogue took place in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and demonstrated the importance of cross-border cooperation on health.