Cities in crises consultations: Gaziantep, Turkey

Gaziantep is the economic urban heart of the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. During the last decade the city went through an important urbanization process and economic growth driven by its business community’s will to position Gaziantep as a gateway to regional markets. Located some 60 kilometers from the border with Syria, Gaziantep has historical strong economic ties with its Syrian neighbor and particularly Aleppo, 90 kilometers to its South. Since the conflict broke out in Syria, the municipality of Gaziantep has been on the frontline in coping with the influx of refugees into Turkey. Gaziantep has since hosted refugee camps in its surroundings (with a population of 51,000 individuals) as well as an additional estimated 350,000 Syrians who have settled in the city, creating significant pressure on services as well as increasing tension with host communities. The Metropolitan Municipality of Gaziantep has been actively engaged in supporting Syrian refugees, adpating and developing social services infrastructures.