TSKB Publishes “The New Threshold for Post-Disaster Recovery: The Earthquake Region Through the Lens of Relocation”

The report prepared by TSKB Economic Research highlights the decisive role of “human” and “social capital” in ensuring that the physical capital built for long-term recovery is transformed into lasting economic value.

TSKB Economic Research has published the final report in its three-year research agenda, which has monitored recovery in the earthquake region annually since the earthquakes of 6 February 2023. While examining the reconstruction phase that follows the immediate post-disaster response period, the report considers, through the perspective of relocation, how the region can evolve into a higher value-added economy by exceeding its pre-earthquake production capacity. The study also includes observations from field visits conducted in April 2026 in the provinces of Adıyaman, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş and Şanlıurfa.

The report highlights that post-disaster recovery requires not only the rebuilding of physical infrastructure, but also helping people reconnect with the cities in which they live. It demonstrates the need for an holistic approach that strengthens living conditions to retain a skilled workforce in the region and attract new investment.

The report underscores that the region’s long-term development and lasting recovery depend on policies that support human capital, social infrastructure and the regional production ecosystem.

Key findings of the report are as follows:

• For lasting post-disaster recovery, it is critical that people can reconnect with the cities in which they live and access living environments where they can maintain social ties and build their futures in the region.
• Transforming the region’s production capacity depends not only on protecting existing capital, but also on attracting new investment and skilled labor. The relocation process requires improvements in education infrastructure, the production ecosystem and living conditions, in addition to financial incentives.
• Although total employment and production in the region appear to have returned to pre-earthquake levels, this recovery is being driven by reconstruction activities. More is needed for the region to regain its strength as a centre for investment, production and living on a lasting basis.
• Field observations point to encouraging examples of how the region can build back better. In these examples, the region’s skilled workforce is treated as a strategic capacity that is actively managed as part of the investment process.
• The report stresses that post-disaster development policies should focus on the future capacity for production and living and draws attention to three policy areas:
• Reconstruction policies should go beyond physical infrastructure and place greater emphasis on the broader "social infrastructure",
• Regional development policies should address the strengthening of human capital in the region in a more strategic manner,
• The regional ecosystem-building capacity of new investments should be taken into greater consideration.

The full report is available here.