Shaken by a series of devastating earthquakes,Türkiye has integrated climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction into national development plans and institutional frameworks are being strengthened to enhance preparedness. Nevertheless, urgent action is needed to translate these plans into tangible outcomes
Two years ago, Türkiye was shaken by a series of devastating earthquakes, which claimed over 50,000 lives and caused direct damages exceeding $34 billion and associated reconstruction costs estimated at $ 81.5 billion. Entire neighborhoods were reduced to rubble, with thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, and transportation networks destroyed.
More than 1.5 million people were displaced, and millions face an uncertain future in the wake of the immense loss and disruption.
Unfortunately, Türkiye’s position at the nexus of three tectonic plates makes it highly susceptible to seismic activity. Geographic, climatic, and socioeconomic conditions further amplify its vulnerability to climate change and other hazards. With over 70 percent of the population and 80 percent of the country’s gross domestic product concentrated in disaster-prone regions, including major hubs like Istanbul, the risks are significantly heightened.
Building back better, together
The magnitude of the February 2023 earthquakes also revealed gaps in disaster preparedness, infrastructure resilience, and access to financial resources. Rapid humanitarian responses provided essential relief, and the World Bank Group swiftly mobilized resources to support Türkiye’s recovery. Initial efforts focused on rebuilding homes, infrastructure, and essential services. However, given the magnitude of the natural disasters, the scale of the challenge remains immense.
From the early beginning it was obvious that recovery efforts had to extend beyond rebuilding what was lost. Rebuilding with resilience—ensuring infrastructure can withstand both seismic events and climate-induced risks—is critical to mitigate future disasters and foster stability. And indeed, there has been progress: Türkiye has integrated climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction into national development plans and institutional frameworks are being strengthened to enhance preparedness. Nevertheless, urgent action is needed to translate these plans into tangible outcomes.
The World Bank Group remains a committed partner in Türkiye’s recovery journey. Its focus is on two key areas: reconstructing resilient infrastructure and working with smaller businesses to accelerate economic recovery. These efforts, which amount to more than $3 billion, supported by initiatives to enhance social services and disaster preparedness, aim not only to address the destruction but to build a stronger, more resilient foundation for Türkiye’s future.
Reconstructing resilient infrastructure
Rebuilding critical infrastructure to restore essential services and rejuvenate communities is vital to help the affected regions recover. Two World Bank-financed initiatives, worth $1.45 billion, support these efforts, helping to rebuild damaged infrastructure, restore health care services, and provide housing for displaced populations, including 7,000 rural residents.
With nearly one-third of Türkiye’s health care infrastructure severely damaged, this area is a key focus. The World Bank Group’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency provided $952 million in guarantees to fund six new ultramodern hospitals, including a 1,875-bed facility in Gaziantep, located near the epicenter of the February 2023 earthquakes. All are designed to withstand future earthquakes, ensuring they remain operational even after major seismic events.
Reviving economic activity and enhancing resilience
The 11 provinces most affected by the earthquakes are home to nearly half a million private firms, 99 percent of which are smaller businesses providing crucial jobs to poor and near-poor households. To support their recovery, World Bank is providing financial assistance and technical support, including access to credit, business continuity planning, and digital transformation.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is also expanding access to credit through a $530 million facility for smaller businesses, which was rolled over for approximately $430 million for an additional year. Since its launch in 2023, this has provided over 55,000 micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with much-needed access to finance.
More recently, IFC announced a new $100 million loan to TSKB, Turkey’s Industrial Development Bank, to advance gender inclusion and create jobs, with a focus on the earthquake region.
The World Bank’s $450 million Türkiye: Post-Earthquake MSME Recovery project has already extended financial lifelines to nearly 39,680 MSMEs since its launch in September 2023. Additionally, the Türkiye Small Industrial Estates Reconstruction and Regional Economic Recovery Project is delivering $600 million to finance the establishment of seven small disaster-resilient industrial estates that will house 1,600 micro enterprises.
Building the resilience of larger companies, which provide significant employment, is also crucial. In this vein, IFC provided a $150 million green loan to support Sanko Holding in rebuilding earthquake-damaged infrastructure and restoring operations in Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, and Gaziantep, including the construction of new green-certified manufacturing facilities.
Similarly, IFC is backing Ülker’s multi-year investment program aimed at sustainability, resource efficiency, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The investment includes structural improvements to Ülker’s facilities in Türkiye, making their factories in Topkapı and Gebze more earthquake resilient. This dual approach of supporting both MSMEs and larger enterprises is essential to foster a robust and resilient economy capable of withstanding future shocks.
Looking ahead
Proactive disaster risk management is a priority. Investing in early warning systems, emergency response capabilities, and comprehensive risk reduction strategies is integral to reducing future vulnerabilities. Also, by supporting land-use planning, public awareness campaigns, and detailed risk assessments, the World Bank Group helps communities withstand and recover from disasters more effectively.
The path to resilience is neither quick nor easy, but it is essential. As Türkiye rebuilds, opportunities must be seized to address systemic vulnerabilities and invest in a future that prioritizes safety, sustainability, and equity.
Our commitment to resilient recovery—in Türkiye and beyond—shows the transformative potential of coordinated, forward-thinking action. And this commitment is not just verbal as there are operations under preparation for about $1 billion that will continue helping the people of Türkiye recover from one of the worst natural disasters in the country history.
Source-World Bank