UN: Turkey sets an example for hosting refugees

By Deniz Acik and Ahmet Sait Akcay

ESKISEHIR, Turkey (AA) - Turkey sets a good example for the rest of world by the way it manages refugees' challenges, the United Nations Population Fund's Turkey representative has said.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency during the recent opening of a women's health center in the central province of Eskisehir, Karl Kulessa praised Turkey’s hosting over 3 millions of refugees.

"These people suddenly came very quickly, and Turkey had to respond. If you look at how it was done, it is in many ways a model," Kulessa said, adding the other countries could learn from Turkey.

He also lauded the coordination between Turkey and the UN in this regard.

"I think it [coordination] is wonderful. But challenges remain of course," he said, referring to the challenges facing the municipalities following refugees' move to cities from camps.

"They [refugees] need skills. I know the UNICEF provides education opportunities, we provide health services. We are already working with some of the refugees as employees in the center. That gives them slowly but surely a chance," he said.

Kulessa added that the World Health Organization worked with the Turkish Ministry of Health "to train Syrian doctors to be able to function here [in Turkey] as doctors".

Turkey is home to nearly three million "registered" Syrian people, according to the Directorate General of Migration Management's 2016 report.

This number accounts for around 45 percent of all Syrian refugees in the region, according to the UN.