King Mohammed VI makes a $100 million donation to special relief fund for quake victims

King Mohammed VI, part of his strong, personal response to the earthquake that struck Morocco on September 08, has made a financial contribution of MAD 1 billion ($100 million) to the special relief fund for the tremor victims, through Al Mada holding, in which the Sovereign is the main shareholder.

At the recommendation of its main shareholder, King Mohammed VI, the board of directors of Al Mada decided to provide a financial contribution of 1 billion dirhams to the Special Fund for managing the effects of the earthquake.

The special fund was created at the King’s instructions on September 11 to coordinate solidarity initiatives in response to this unprecedented natural disaster.

Actually, King Mohammed VI had given his instructions to establish the special account with the Treasury and Bank Al Maghrib to receive voluntary contributions from citizens and private and public entities, during the working session he had presided over Saturday, September 9, 2023, at the Royal Palace in Rabat.

The session reviewed the situation following the painful earthquake that occurred the previous day and that caused significant loss of life and property in the provinces of Al Haouz and Taroudant.

On Thursday Sept. 14, the monarch chaired a working session with an inter-ministerial committee devoted to activating the emergency program for rehousing disaster victims and taking care of the categories most affected by the earthquake, the Royal Office said in a statement.

Under this program, emergency actions will be taken for temporary resettlement of those who lost their home partially of totally, through providing suitable on-site housing solutions and structures designed to withstand cold weather and adverse conditions, or in designated reception sites equipped with all necessary amenities. Besides, financial aid will be granted to victims to rebuild their homes. In this connection, affected households will receive MAD 30,000 in emergency aid, those who had their homes partially collapsed will receive MAD 80,000, while the households whose homes were destroyed will get MAD 140,000.

According to a census that has already been conducted, approximately 50,000 housing units, either partially or completely collapsed, in five provinces hit by the tremor. Furthermore, the first steps of a comprehensive and ambitious program for the restructuring and revitalization of the entire region have already been initiated.

All these measures translate the Sovereign’s strong and ambitious response to the disaster, because this gigantic program is not only question of reconstruction, but is part of a set of urgent actions in favor of all the disaster victims.

Also, part of his commitment to his people and solidarity with his nation, the Sovereign visited on Tuesday some of the injured at the King Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech, and donated his blood.
King Mohammed VI inspected the hospital and inquired about the recovery services and care being provided for those injured in the Friday night tremor and the conditions of survivors.

In another development, the government has decided that cabinet members, high commissioners, and other senior officials will contribute one month salary to the special fund, a statement released by the government spokesperson said.

The move is part of the national solidarity movement and is in line with Article 40 of the Constitution, which states that “everyone bears, in solidarity and proportionally to their means, the burdens required for the country’s development, as well as those resulting from national calamities and natural disasters.”

Meanwhile, high-graded civil servants, state and public institutions employees will contribute a 3-day salary to the Special Fund. As decided by the government, the deduction of the 3 day-salary will be spread over three months, i.e. one day’s salary will be deducted from the pays of the months of September, October, and November, the government spokesperson’s statement said.

The earthquake that hit several provinces, on September 8, has left nearly 3000 people dead and 5,674 Wounded, according to an update by the Interior Ministry.