President Rashid: disasters call for longterm, collective efforts

Shafaq News / Iraq's President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid on Wednesday said that earthquake consequences require long-term plans to be contained.

The President said in a statement issued today, "The peoples of our region, the Syrian and Turkish peoples, are facing an unprecedented disaster caused by the devastating earthquake, and extreme weather conditions, that require urgent international cooperation and humanitarian relief aid." "The large scale of the disaster calls for longterm, collective efforts to help the affected communities get through these difficult times." He added, "We call on all governments and political forces to put aside their differences, combine efforts to provide urgently needed support to the affected communities that are currently without shelter in harsh conditions, while many of their loved ones are either still buried under the collapsed buildings or injured without access to adequate medical facilities." "Additionally, the thousands of collapsed buildings in need of rapid reconstruction to allow the displaced communities return to their normal life as soon as possible." The President concluded, "While Iraq expresses its solidarity with the affected communities, and continue to provide all possible forms of assistance, the government will place all its capabilities at the service of any international coordination and joint global action to help those in need."