Morocco’s king orders earthquake reconstruction program worth $12 bln

King Mohammed VI of Morocco chaired a third meeting to follow up the implementation of the reconstruction after the earthquake ordering speeding up in implementing a program worth 120 billion dirhams ($12 billion) in the six quake-struck regions.

The program will span over a five-year period covering the six provinces affected by the earthquake: Marrakech, Al Haouz, Taroudant, Chichaoua, Azilal and Ouarzazate. A population of 4.2 million is expected to benefit from the plan, the Royal Palace said in a statement.

The programme aims at rebuilding houses and upgrading infrastructures as well as strengthening socio-economic development in targeted areas.

In this respect, priority would be assigned to: relocating people affected by the disaster, rebuilding housing and rehabilitating infrastructure, opening up and upgrading regions, accelerating the absorption of social deficits, particularly in the mountainous areas affected by the earthquake and encouraging economic activity and employment, and promoting local initiatives, the royal palace said.

Under the same program, each region should have stockpiles of tents, blankets, beds, medicine and foodstuff to be able to immediately respond to natural disasters.

Funding for this major program will come from the general State budget, contributions from local authorities and the Special Solidarity Bank Account dedicated to managing the effects of the earthquake, as well as through donations and international cooperation.

To that end, the King instructed Hassan II Fund to contribute 2 billion dirhams to the financing of this program.

The meeting was attended by ministers including the head of the government and Inspector General of the FAR and Commander of the South zone.