07/02/2023

Middle East Council of Churches calls on the international community to provide emergency aid and lift sanctions on Syria

BEIRUT ꟷ The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) has called on the international community to provide emergency aid to those afflicted by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The Council also called for the lifting of sanctions on Syria to allow all necessary materials to reach those affected by the earthquake.

Following the devastating earthquake which hit northwest Syria and southeast Turkey at four o’clock in the night from Sunday to Monday, the Presidents of the MECC, in which several Syriac churches with residences in Syria and Lebanon are seated, held an emergency meeting in which they discussed the situation in the region and how to respond to the severe consequences of the earthquake.

In its statement the MECC said that all churches in the Middle East have put their resources at the disposal of the people affected and displaced. They did so since the first moments the disaster happened, despite their limited resources as a result of sanctions and import embargo. The MECC stressed that all its member churches will stand by their people, and will spare no effort in doing all they can to relieve their pain and lead them towards prosperity and progress.

The MECC and its patriarchs also reiterated their previous calls to lift sanctions on Syria and allowing access to all materials. Whether this call is only made for humanitarian reasons the statement did not say.