DOHA: The Qatari leader has called out the international community to help Türkiye and Syria overcome the devastation left by the Feburary 6 earthquakes.

Speaking at the opening plenary session of the 5th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) on Sunday, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said: “I call on you all to support Türkiye’s efforts to overcome the effects of this catastrophe.”

Reaffirming solidarity with the people of Türkiye and Syria, Al Thani said: “Our meeting is being held as our brothers and sisters in Türkiye and Syria continue to suffer from the effects of the huge earthquake that hit them.”

He went on to say: “I would also like to confirm the need to lend assistance with no hesitation to our brotherly Syrian people.”

“I am puzzled by the delay in aid given to these people and I confirm that it is wrong to abuse a humanitarian tragedy for political purposes,” he noted.

Qatar is hosting the fifth LDC conference in Doha held on March 5-19.

More than 45,000 people have been killed in Türkiye in the twin earthquakes.