World Cup Fan Housing to Shelter Earthquake Victims in Turkey

Qatar is shipping thousands of mobile homes previously used to accommodate World Cup fans to Turkey, where they will be used as temporary housing for survivors of the recent massive earthquakes.

(Bloomberg) — Qatar is shipping thousands of mobile homes previously used to accommodate World Cup fans to Turkey, where they will be used as temporary housing for survivors of the recent massive earthquakes.

The shipment of 10,000 units could help address the urgent need for shelter for millions of people in Turkey’s devastated quake zone. The first batch is expected to arrive at a port on the Mediterranean coast on March 3, Turkish authorities said.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan first announced Qatar’s plans to ship the containers last week after meeting ruling Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Istanbul in the latest sign of deepening ties between the two states. Qatar, which agreed to the use of its heavy cargo aircraft by Turkey before the Feb. 6 quakes, has transported humanitarian aid with its C-17 cargo planes.

Turkey and Qatar have been close for years, and Ankara’s backing of Doha during its rift with regional states in 2017 deepened that relationship. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and commercial ties with Qatar during that dispute, while Turkey sent troops to Qatar. Since then, ties between the Gulf nations have been reestablished. 

 

–With assistance from Simone Foxman.

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