Speaking at the AFAD–DSİ Flood and Overflow Risk Reduction Protocol Ceremony, President Erdoğan said: “For our country, where 71 percent of the population resides in places with high earthquake risk, urban transformation is a necessity rather than a choice.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the AFAD–DSİ Flood and Overflow Risk Reduction Protocol Ceremony in Ankara.
Highlighting that Türkiye is located in a geographically critical region, President Erdoğan said: “Türkiye, which is located in the Mediterranean basin, is one of the states that feel the painful consequences of the climate crisis the most and suffer the most from it, along with other countries that share the same geography. The year 2023 was recorded as the hottest year in our country and the whole world. We are one of the countries struggling most intensely with the triple planetary crisis - climate change, loss of biodiversity and pollution. We have experienced many painful events in recent years with earthquakes, floods and forest fires. From earthquakes to floods, from fires to floods, from terrorist acts to street incidents, from epidemics to war, we have faced many different challenges. We have experienced the huge difference between being prepared and being caught off guard in all of these challenges.”
Stating that in addition to strengthening institutional capacity, they have been constructing durable, modern and solid buildings through TOKİ (Housing Development Administration), President Erdoğan said: “The number of buildings constructed by TOKİ since 2003 exceeds 1 million 351 thousand. We have completed the construction of 3.3 million houses all over the country through urban transformation projects.”
Noting that Türkiye’s shortcomings in disaster readiness must be remedied, President Erdoğan said: “The transformation of the unsound and unhealthy structures invading our cities, especially Istanbul, is of vital importance. For our country, where 71 percent of the population resides in places with high earthquake risk, urban transformation is a necessity rather than a choice.”
“GETTING PREPARED FOR DISASTERS IS A MATTER ABOVE POLITICS”
“In our eyes, getting prepared for disasters is a matter above politics. Let me be clear; all we care about is to let our people live. Our aim is to provide a prosperous future for our citizens,” President Erdoğan said.
“We do not want to see any more suffering, more destruction and more tears because of neglect, political rivalry, laziness or greed,” President Erdoğan said. “I want it to be known that we as the government will provide the necessary support to all kinds of projects that will ensure the safety of our people and their properties such as urban transformation, flood and overflow risk reduction, stream rehabilitation and afforestation.”
https://www.tccb.gov.tr/en/news/542/152196/-urban-transformation-is-a-necessity-for-our-country-
