Former U.K. Defense Secretary Geoffrey William Hoon said the British people are in solidarity with the Turkish people following the two massive earthquakes that devastated the southeast, killing over 44,000 people earlier in February.

Speaking at the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum’s Future Leaders Executive Program in Istanbul on Saturday, Hoon said he is extremely sad about the disaster.

He noted that the British people have mobilized to send aid to earthquake survivors.

"We are in solidarity with the Turkish people," he said.

The death toll from major Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes that hit Türkiye's southeast reached 44,218, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said on Friday.

On Friday, former Austrian President Heinz Fischer attended the FLEP meeting in Istanbul.

Meanwhile, the former Secretary-General of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Lamberto Zannier and former Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme will speak in FLEP’s next meeting in March.

ICYF, the umbrella youth Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, organizes events to promote international cooperation between the youth and with the participation of governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide with a vision of economic and cultural development.

ICYF has been an observer in United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 2021.

FLEP aims to unite the youth with heads of state and government, veteran ministers and chairs of reputed international organizations under Chatham House Rule.