The World Bank has announced additional funding of €200 million ($207.5 million) to support the construction of rural homes in Türkiye, following the devastating earthquakes in February 2023. This financial boost is being matched by the French development agency AFD, Agence Française de Développement, bringing the total funds to €400 million. The investment aims to construct 2,800 resilient housing units for approximately 9,000 people affected by the disaster.
This additional financing is part of the ongoing $1 billion Türkiye Earthquake Recovery and Reconstruction Project. Approved by the World Bank Board in June 2023, this project focuses on restoring health services, rebuilding municipal infrastructure, and repairing or reconstructing rural homes damaged by the earthquakes. The disaster resulted in over 50,000 deaths, displaced more than 3.3 million people, and damaged or destroyed over 1.9 million housing units across rural and urban areas.
"The World Bank has been accompanying Türkiye since the day of the earthquakes," said Humberto Lopez, World Bank Country Director for Türkiye. "Helping rebuild homes and local economies of the affected communities is our top priority."
The additional financing will significantly increase the number of permanent homes provided to affected individuals from an initial estimate of 7,000 people to now include 16,000 people. It will also expand reconstruction efforts to cover seven more provinces impacted by the earthquakes.
Reconstruction efforts are adhering to a build-back-better approach with a focus on resilience against future seismic events and climate hazards while incorporating energy efficiency improvements. Compliance with Türkiye's latest building codes and sustainable infrastructure solutions are prioritized alongside universal access principles.
The World Bank continues its role as a key partner for Türkiye in managing disaster risks and enhancing municipal infrastructure and housing resilience. Other ongoing projects include initiatives addressing earthquake recovery from previous years' disasters as well as improving school resilience and public health emergency preparedness.
Collaboration with development partners like AFD ensures coordinated support for Türkiye's reconstruction efforts post-earthquake.