Loan agreement signed between Türkiye, Japan International Cooperation Agency

By Cuneyt Kemal Ozkok

ANKARA (AA) – The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Türkiye on Friday signed a 60 billion Japanese yen ($380 million) loan agreement for the reconstruction of areas of Türkiye hit by earthquakes in February 2023, said an official statement on Friday.

The loan will help pay for "reconstruction and construction of municipal infrastructures, procurement of ambulances and reconstruction and construction of ambulance stations, reconstruction and construction of rural housing and village infrastructure,” said the Japanese agency.

"Japan, an earthquake country like Turkey, has a strong sympathy for those affected by the earthquakes that occurred in February 2023. Following the earthquake, JICA provided a range of support, from sending search and rescue and medical teams to sharing information based on Japan's past earthquake experiences,” it added.

It underlined that the agency signed a loan agreement last December with the Turkish Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization (KOSGEB) to provide a 20 billion Japanese yen loan to support SMEs in quake-affected areas.

It highlighted that through support for infrastructure, housing, and health for the region's people, they "hope to contribute to the rapid recovery and reconstruction of the regions."

*Writing by Serdar Dincel from Istanbul