Following are offers of aid and other reactions from foreign governments to the powerful earthquake that struck Morocco late on Friday, killing more than 1,000 and destroying buildings in the deadliest tremor to hit the country in decades.
OFFERS OF FOREIGN AID AND SUPPORT
ALGERIA
Algeria, which broke off ties with Morocco two years ago, said it would open its air space for humanitarian and medical flights to Morocco. In a statement, Algeria’s presidency said it was ready to provide humanitarian aid and offer all its material and human capabilities in solidarity with the Moroccan people if Morocco requests such help.
TURKEY
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Ankara was ready to provide all kinds of support “to heal the wounds of the earthquake in Morocco”.
Turkey’s AFAD disaster management authority said 265 aid workers from AFAD, Turkish Red Crescent, and other Turkish NGOs were ready to travel to the earthquake region in case Morocco calls for international assistance. It also said that Turkey was ready to deliver 1,000 tents to the affected are
GERMANY
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, speaking at a G20 summit in New Delhi, said the quake “has moved and worried many people here. We are all in the process of organizing support. Germany has also already mobilized its technical relief agency and we will do the best we can to help those who can be helped”.
UNITED STATES
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, “I express my deep sadness at the loss of life and destruction caused by yesterday’s earthquake in Morocco and extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of those affected. The United States is ready to provide any necessary assistance as Morocco responds to this tragedy.”
FRANCE
“France … is ready to provide immediately its help for the rescue and assistance to the populations affected by this tragedy,” the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Valerie Pecresse, president of the Paris region, said on X it was offering 500,000 euros ($535,000)in aid for Morocco.
Benoit Payan, the mayor of Marseille, said firemen will be sent to help rescue crews in Morocco, adding that Marrakech is Marseille’s “sister city”. The regions of Occitanie, Corsica and Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur jointly pledged 1 million euros in humanitarian aid for Morocco.
SPAIN
“The Spain military emergency unit and our embassy and consulates are at the disposal of Morocco,” Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said at the G20 meeting in New Delhi.
Antonio Nogales, president of Spain’s Firefighters Without Frontiers, told RTVE Spanish television: “We are in contact with the Moroccan authorities and we are ready to go and help.” The organization was involved in helping find survivors of the earthquake in Turkey in February.
ISRAEL
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said “Israel is extending its hand to Morocco in this difficult time that it is experiencing,” according to the ministry’s post on X, originally in Arabic.
Israel’s Magen David Adom National Medical and Disaster Emergency Service said its head contacted the president of the Moroccan Red Crescent with an offer of help.
“Representatives from Magen David Adom are gearing up to depart within the next few hours,” it said in a statement. “They will be joining hands with delegations from the Ministry of Health and the Israel Defense Forces.”
TUNISIA
The Tunisian presidency said President Kais Saied had
“authorized coordination with the Moroccan authorities to direct urgent aid and send civil protection teams to support the Kingdom’s search and rescue efforts. He also authorized the facilitation of a delegation from the Tunisian Red Crescent to contribute to relief operations and surround the injured.”
KUWAIT
Kuwait’s Emir Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah directed the government to provide all necessary relief supplies for Morocco, the state news agency (KUNA) said.
ROMANIA
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said “the Romanian authorities are in close contact with the Moroccan authorities and ready to offer assistance”.
TAIWAN
Taiwan’s fire department said it had put a team of 120 rescuers on standby to go to Morocco who can go the moment they get instructions from Taiwan’s foreign ministry.
UAE
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, directed an air bridge to be opened to bring relief to Morocco, according to Al-Ain media and other media in the UAE.
The National reported that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, instructed the emirate’s police rescue and ambulance teams to assist those working to find victims of the quake.
SAUDI ARABIA
“Saudi Arabia expressed solidarity and support for the brethren people of Morocco in this difficult time, and offered the deepest condolences to the families of the victims, and wished the injured a speedy recovery”. ASHARQ ALAWSAT reported.
Reuters/ News Agencies
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