Earthquake, humanitarian aid and lifting of sanctions
10/02/2023
LINK 2007 wrote a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani to ask that the sanctions against Syria be lifted and that a special emergency fund be set up to strengthen the humanitarian aid that the Italian NGOs already present in country are bringing on site.
The text of our letter to Minister Tajani.
Dear Minister,
the very serious earthquake in Turkey and Syria sees many Italian humanitarian NGOs operating in the relief of the people affected and in particular the wounded and the most vulnerable.
As you well know, the situation in northern Syria is even more complex and serious due to the consequences of the long civil war and the divisions that continue to tear it apart. Populations have reached levels of suffering and endurance that have been further exacerbated by the destruction of the earthquake, right now in the period of winter cold.
For some years our NGOs have been operating in those areas living with those communities. We address you on behalf of those children, those mothers, those grandparents, those communities who are now barely surviving and need all the help possible.
The Italian Government and the European Union are making an effort and deserve gratitude. However, more needs to be done and in an even more targeted way, where the needs are most acute.
To help people in the affected areas in Syria, we ask you to promote at European and international level so that the Western sanctions against Syria are removed in order to allow full entry into the country of aid which cannot be limited to humanitarian, medical and health aid and essential food.
We are counting on the commitment of the Italian Government to this end and on the initiatives that you will launch with your European and Atlantic colleagues.
Furthermore, Mr Minister, we believe that it would be very useful if you could establish a special emergency fund that could be used by the Italian solidarity and international cooperation NGOs already present in that territory as already experienced for Afghanistan and Ukraine.
We sincerely hope, Mr. Minister, in your action in these directions.
Robert Ridolfi
President of LINK 2007
Solidarity organizations and international cooperation