ANKARA, Jan 20 (Asia Free Press): The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara, announced that the country would be sending a “charity train” to crisis-hit Afghanistan, carrying emergency goods and other essentialities, according to local media.
Erdogan said the train carrying 700 tons of food, clothing, and health and emergency goods are to be sent with the support of 10 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) under the coordination of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, according to Anadolu Agency.
President Erdogan also commented on the situation in Turkey by saying there would be a “very different picture” of the country next year. He wished to continue pursuing goals towards a stronger future.
Commenting on his recent annual meeting with EU envoys, Erdogan said they had assessed the past and current ties between Turkey and the bloc, discussing impasse points and proposing ways to resolve them.
Mentioning a recently announced system in Turkey introducing Turkish lira deposit accounts protected from foreign exchange fluctuations, he said the deposits had reached 163 billion liras ($12.16 billion).
In December, the USD/TRY exchange rate neared 20. However, after the new system was announced, the lira gained significant value with a substantial decline in domestic interest in foreign currency.
“We ask for your support to make Turkey a place where everyone does their work and holds their savings in Turkish liras,” Erdogan said while adding, Turkey also seeks to persuade people to put their gold into the financial system.
Earlier, India, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, China, Uzbekistan, United Nations and other major countries and organizational bodies also sent humanitarian aid to the Taliban-led Afghanistan, the world’s most rapidly growing humanitarian crisis.
According to the UN humanitarian coordination office OCHA, half the population now faces acute hunger, over nine million people have been displaced, and millions of children are out of school.
