Davutoglu, Merkel, Tusk visit refugees in SE Turkey

GAZIANTEP, Turkey

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Syrian refugees on Saturday in Turkey’s southeastern province of Gaziantep’s Nizip district.

European Council President Donald Tusk and First Vice-President of EU Commission Frans Timmermans were also present.

Merkel said on Wednesday that her visit to Turkey was aimed at gaining new insights into the living conditions of Syrian refugees and identifying their needs.

She added: "I will travel to Gaziantep together with European Council President Donald Tusk and EU Commission Vice-President Mr. Timmermans to see the situation on the ground.

Referring to the EU-funded humanitarian projects for refugees who escaped from civil war in neighboring Syria, she said: “There, we are having first projects for the refugees and we would like to listen to them about their needs.”

“We would like to gain insights into the practical conditions; we would like to figure out which steps should be taken to speed up the implementation.”

The EU and Turkey agreed on an action plan late last year, to improve conditions of Syrian refugees in Turkey and to strengthen the fight against human smugglers operating in the Aegean Sea.

The leaders visited a preschool at Nizip Temporary Shelter Center where more than 4,800 Syrian refugees currently stay.

Students greeted Merkel in Turkish saying, “Welcome, how are you?” Merkel received information from camp officials about the students and life in camp. During the visit, Davutoglu informed Merkel in English.

While the leaders were leaving the camp, several Syrian children chanted “Syria-Turkey is together” in Arabic. The leaders then visited containers where refugees stay. One of the refugees said: "May Allah give strength to President Erdogan".

Following the refugee visit in Nizip, the leaders joined the inauguration ceremony of the Al Farah Child support center built by the Refugee and Migrant Solidarity Foundation (SGDD-ASAM) and UNICEF (The United Nations Children's Emergency Fund) in Gaziantep.

“We open this establishment which is built for our Syrian brothers and sisters with European Union’s contribution and our wish for auspiciousness,” said Davutoglu.

The center has been built to support refugee children, youth and families for health, translation services.

Children offered their paintings as a gifts during the ceremony. One of the children kissed the hands of Davutoglu and Merkel. The German chancellor gave crayons as presents and thanked the children.

Leaders also listened to the children’s songs and had their pictures taken with them.

Turkey hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees in the world, with over 2.5 million Syrians inside the country.

Davutoglu’s wife Sare Davutoglu, Deputy PM Mehmet Simsek, EU Minister and top negotiator Volkan Bozkir, Deputy PM Yalcin Akdogan, Minister of Interior Affairs Efkan Ala, Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister Sema Ramazanoglu and Gaziantep Mayor Fatma Sahin, were also present during the visit.