Speaking at a "National Risk Shield Model Symposium for a Disaster-Resilient Türkiye" organized by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) in Istanbul on Thursday, Murat Kurum, the minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, noted that a risk shield model developed under the auspices of the ministry following the devastating February earthquakes is structured on an innovative foundation that includes risk factors, giving importance to the ideas of scientists, citizens and relevant sectors.

The minister, also a candidate for the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections, underlined the importance of organizing such a symposium after the disaster that hit the country nearly three months ago. Explaining that the major earthquakes that occurred on the North and Eastern Anatolian lines were determined by scientific studies and mapping, Kurum recalled that significant legal arrangements have been made in earthquake-related preparedness under the leadership of President Recep Tayyıp Erdoğan in the last 21 years.

Stating that approximately 3.3 million residences have been transformed, the minister said: "However, we have never said enough, we cannot say that."

"Our efforts, which have been going on for 21 years, do not change the fact that disasters are at the foreground of Türkiye's top priority problems to deal with," he said. Adding that the Feb. 6 earthquakes were the turning point after which not only the government but rather local authorities and the nation in general needed to be encouraged toward the process of transformation, the minister noted how "we together witnessed how darkness was defeated by light after (disaster) happened."

Stressing that the National Risk Shield Model carries critical importance in terms of getting cities back on their feet, the minister further noted: "No matter in which part of the world you go, you won't see a country that provided the initial intervention, effective and fast opportunities to its citizens, which has signed the first contract after 15 days, laid the ground foundation on the 46th day, began the construction of 132,000 buildings in 2.5 months after the earthquakes, and delivered the first village homes to its owners although the earthquake occurred again."

"This country's name is the Republic of Türkiye," he said.

Innovative approach

Explaining that they started work on the model with the idea of "A Disaster-Resilient Türkiye," Kurum stated that 159 board members, consisting of experts in their fields, academics, bureaucrats, architects, engineers and technical personnel, took an active role in the process.

Reiterating the National Risk Shiled Model board members gathered in Dolmabahçe on April 7, as well as that scientific workshops were held between April 27-28 "for the purpose of conducting analysis on how to make our cities and our country resistant against the disaster," the minister added they are preparing a risk reduction action plan.

"This model was established with an understanding unique to Türkiye. The National Risk Shield Model is structured on a participatory, innovative, risk-factor basis that values the opinions of all our scientists, citizens and industries," Kurum said.

"With this work, we will quickly erase the traces of the disaster in 11 provinces. We are working to eliminate the destruction caused by the disaster, both morally and financially, as soon as possible," he noted.

Starting from the earthquake zone, and taking into account the whole country, the minister vowed for a strong and prosperous Türkiye in the future, explaining that within the urban transformation process, it is planned to build 313,000 out of total of 650,000 houses in the first stage.

The minister also touched upon the recent urban transformation campaign "Half from Us" initiated for the transformation in the country's most populous city Istanbul, adding that the campaign received high interest from citizens.

SETA General Coordinator Burhanettin Duran, on the other hand, stated that Türkiye has faced many natural disasters and emphasized the importance of reestablishing cities in a safer way with the National Risk Shield Model.