Six weeks after the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria, a long list of countries have gathered in Brussels for a donors' conference. The goal was to raise as much money as possible to help the two countries rebuild housing, hospitals, infrastructure and everything else that needs to be rebuilt after the quakes.

When the meeting was over, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who hosted the meeting together with the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, noted that a total of seven billion euros had been collected, equivalent to about SEK 78 billion.

"I am proud to announce that we will see significant new support. The total promises today amount to seven billion euros," says Ulf Kristersson.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was on the link at the meeting.

"No country can cope with a disaster of this magnitude on its own, no matter how strong its economy is," Erdogan said.

Billions in aid

Erdogan estimates that the damage from the quakes amounts to more than $100 billion, although it is still difficult to get an overview of the extent.

"The real fight starts now. We will rebuild and revitalize our cities that were destroyed in the earthquake, their infrastructure and historical and cultural sites," the president said.

Ursula von der Leyen and Ulf Kristersson (M) set the tone by saying that the EU Commission will give 1 billion euros (just over SEK 11 billion), and that Sweden will contribute SEK 500 million to rebuild Turkey.

Ursula von der Leyen also announced €108 million in humanitarian aid to Syria.

"We need to increase our support and help the survivors not only survive, but also rebuild their lives," von der Leyen said.

Coordinated response

Ulf Kristersson called for a strong, effective and coordinated response.

"We can't take away the pain or the grief. We cannot fill the emptiness of loved ones lost in the earthquake. But we can do one thing – we can turn our words of solidarity into action," he said.

So far, the EU and its member states have assisted with rescue teams, rescue dogs, tents, field hospitals, medical assistance and money, among others.