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,” according to the official 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.
In his part, Lod Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, United Nations, and the Commonwealth, reiterated the UK’s government commitment to supporting the Kingdom of Morocco’s recovery efforts.
“The UK-Morocco partnership is thriving and we stand ready to provide further support,” the Minister of State underscored.
During his state Visit to Morocco, Andrew Mitchell, the Minister for Development and Africa, plans to conduct meetings with the UK 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.
This announcement comes during the 2023 Annual Meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Marrakech, in which both the Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy are attending.
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 to help with quake rescue efforts based on a precise assessment of the needs on the ground.
The British relief team worked closely with Moroccan coordination teams. “We’ve been liaising with colleagues already in the country here, we know the hard work that is going on,” said Russ Gauden, the head of the British relief t