The effects of Syrian migration on Türkiye's urbanization processes: the case of Gaziantep city

The internal turmoil and war that arose in Syria in 2011 led to the migration of the Syrian people to surrounding countries, and this situation affected Turkey the most due to the fact that it is a country close to Syria. The aim of the study is to reveal the effect of Syrian migration on the urbanization process of Gaziantep and the activities of local governments. In the study, qualitative research method was preferred and semi-structured interview was conducted with Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality. Turkey's opening of its doors to Syrians by implementing an "Open Door Policy" has been the beginning of a new and long process for both Turkey and Syrians. Especially the cities on the southern border of Turkey, such as the city of Gaziantep, have been more affected by this process than other cities. As of September 2022, more than three and a half million Syrians (3,656,157) are in our country with "temporary protection status". During the meeting, it was stated that the density of the Syrian population in the city of Gaziantep increases the need for urban services and public expenditures and causes a change in the quality of services. Although the Syrian migration did not cause as much trouble as expected in the city, it was concluded that the prolongation of the temporary protection process reduced the tolerance of the local population and negatively affected social life and the urbanization process. The meeting with Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality has contributed to revealing the extent of these effects.