Despite global economic distress, Turkey continues intl aid

Despite the global economic crisis Turkey has continued to aid international organizations, with over $3 billion officially donated over the past five years, the Anatolia news agency reported on Friday. Last year alone $707 million was donated to the Caucasus and Balkan regions, Eastern Europe and Africa. These donations came despite the global crisis and economic distress that rocked Turkey and the world. According to last year's numbers, the country receiving the largest donation from Turkey was Afghanistan, with $96.4 million, followed by Kyrgyzstan with $67.7 million and Kazakhstan with $62.5 million. Despite the crisis, Turkey even raised what it gave to some countries. The $15.9 million donated to Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2008 was doubled last year to $32.7 million. The public corporation with the most donations in 2009 was the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA), with 26 program coordination offices in 23 countries. Non-governmental organizations also boosted their donations with each passing year. Donations raised independently by NGOs grew in 2008-2009 from $72.3 million to $109 million. Last year 44.4 percent of Turkey's donations went to the Caucasus and Central Asia regions, with 26.8 percent to the Balkans and Eastern Europe, 24.6 percent to the Middle East and Africa, and 3.8 percent to the Far East. From 2005 to 2009, Turkey raised its donations from $601 million to $707 million, global economic woes notwithstanding.