UK government pledges £1.45 million post-earthquake aid to Morocco

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office announced on Friday 13 a financial support of up to £1.45 million for Morocco following the devastating earthquake that rattled the region of Al-Haouz on September 8.

“The new funding will help address both immediate needs and support longer-term development in the communities most affected, in line with Morocco’s five-year recovery plan,” the Office said in a statement.

The financial support aims to address various needs, including increasing collaboration with farmers and cooperatives to deliver high-quality local agricultural products to market, while preserving local biodiversity, in addition to providing support for health services and housing.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, expressed his admiration for the resilience and strength demonstrated by the Moroccan population in times of crisis.

“The UK is always willing to help our friends in need and the additional £1.45 million announced today will help support Moroccans as they rebuild their lives,” emphasized Hunt.

On his part, Lod Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Minister of State for the Middle East & North Africa, reiterated the British government commitment to supporting Morocco’s recovery efforts.

“The UK-Morocco partnership is thriving and we stand ready to provide further support,” the Minister of State underscored.

The news comes as both Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and Minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell are taking part in the WB/IMF annual meetings in Marrakech.

During his visit to Morocco, Andrew Mitchell plans to hold meetings with British and other non-governmental organizations supporting Morocco in recovery efforts, including the Global Diversity Foundation (GDF), and the Moroccan Biodiversity and Livelihoods Association (MBLA).

GDF and MBLA were cooperating with local authorities to boost sustainable agriculture in the region. “They will continue and expand this longstanding partnership, working with farmers and cooperatives in the affected areas to bring high-quality local agricultural products to market, while conserving local biodiversity and enabling communities to recover from the earthquake,” included the statement.

Following last month’s earthquake, the UK’s International Search and Rescue Team (UK-ISAR) was sent out right away to assist Moroccan authorities with their search and rescue operations in the distressed regions of the Atlas Mountains.

The UK Emergency Medical Team (UK EMT) was dispatched in addition to the ISAR team to evaluate both short-term and long-term needs to guide the response.

It is worth noting that Morocco accepted aid from the United Kingdom, Spain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates to help with quake rescue efforts based on a precise assessment of the needs on the ground.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI sent formal thanks messages to the heads of the four rescue teams who have been on the ground in Morocco.