King Mohammed VI chaired a meeting today at the Royal Palace in Rabat to activate the emergency program for relocating earthquake victims in the Al Haouz region. The meeting followed Royal directives issued on September 9, 2023, and aimed to address the aftermath of the quake.
The program, drafted by an interministerial committee, targets around 50,000 partially or fully collapsed homes across five affected provinces. It consists of urgent relocation measures, offering temporary accommodations on-site or in weather-resistant structures, along with designated reception sites providing essential amenities. Additionally, affected households will receive an emergency grant of 30,000 Moroccan dirhams.
The King stressed the operation’s high priority, emphasizing fairness and responsiveness to the affected populations’ needs. Immediate reconstruction efforts will follow initial assessments and preparatory work, with direct financial aid of 140,000 dirhams for fully collapsed homes and 80,000 dirhams for partial rehabilitation.
The reconstruction operation will adhere to specified guidelines and architectural supervision that respects the region’s heritage. The King also called for a comprehensive program to strengthen infrastructure and public services in the affected regions.
The program will primarily utilize state resources but welcomes contributions from private, non-governmental, and international entities. The King also addressed the immediate care of orphaned children, instructing the government to expedite legislation for their adoption.
The King’s actions reflect Morocco’s resilience, bolstered by robust institutions and a spirit of solidarity.
The meeting included the Prime Minister, Aziz Akhannouch; the King’s Advisor, Fouad Ali El Himma; the Interior Minister, Abdelouafi Laftit; the Minister of Habous and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq; the Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah; the Minister of National Territory Planning, Urbanism, Housing, and City Policy, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri; the Delegate Minister to the Minister of Economy and Finance in charge of the Budget, Faouzi Lekjaa; and General of the Army Corps Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of the Armed Forces and Commander of the Southern Zone.