2023-09-09 12:30:00
The earthquake, which left at least 820 dead in Morocco, sparked a surge of solidarity around the world, with several countries, including Israel, offering their help to Rabat. French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “upset” and offered France’s help. “We are all devastated after the terrible earthquake in Morocco. France stands ready to help with first aid,” he said on social network X (formerly Twitter) during his flight to the G20 which takes place this weekend in New Delhi.
The head of the Italian government, Giorgia Meloni, for her part “learned with sadness of the tragic toll of the earthquake” and expressed “her closeness and solidarity with the Moroccan Prime Minister,” Aziz Akhannouch. She reaffirmed “Italy’s desire to support Morocco in this emergency situation”. “All my solidarity and all my support to the people of Morocco after this terrible earthquake,” wrote the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, on their families,” he added.
The Regions of France are mobilizing
In France, several local elected officials have announced that they are releasing funds to help Morocco. The mayor of Le Havre, Édouard Philippe, indicated that he will propose “Monday to the Municipal Council of Le Havre to participate in the aid that Morocco needs” while Valérie Pécresse, president of the Île-de-France region, said he vote for an envelope of 500,000 euros has already been indicated: “The Île-de-France Region stands alongside Morocco bereaved by this terrible earthquake. In solidarity, we will vote 500,000 euros to support the relief forces and humanitarian associations in order to come to the aid of the victims. »
The region @iledefrance stands alongside the #Morocco bereaved by this terrible earthquake. In solidarity, we will vote 500,000 euros to support the relief forces and humanitarian associations in order to come to the aid of the victims.
— Valérie Pécresse (@vpecresse) September 9, 2023
In a press release, all the presidents of the Regions of France declare that they are “at the disposal of the Moroccan Regions to take part in any solidarity action which could help bring first aid to the affected populations”. “As part of the friendly relations between the Moroccan and French Regions, we can read, and the strengthened partnership established between the Association of Moroccan Regions and that of the Regions of France, in September 2017, Regions of France will coordinate the support from the French Regions to support relief interventions, support local authorities in their emergency actions, then rebuild and meet the needs of populations”.
Putin, Netanyahu, Zelensky and Erdogan in solidarity
Morocco, which in 2020 normalized its relations with Israel, received an offer of assistance from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who “gave instructions to all government bodies and forces to provide all necessary assistance to the people Moroccan, including preparations for dispatching an aid team to the region,” according to a statement from his office. “The people of Israel [tient] alongside his friends […] in this difficult period”, is it added in the text. Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed sent his “condolences to King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan people”, according to the official WAM news agency. Egypt and Saudi Arabia also expressed their condolences and solidarity with Morocco.
“In Russia, we share the pain and mourning of the friendly Moroccan people,” declared Russian President Vladimir Putin in a message addressed in a press release to the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, presenting his “sincere condolences for the tragic consequences of the devastating earthquake. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, offered his “deepest condolences” to “King Mohammed VI and to all Moroccans for the lives lost in the horrible earthquake”. “Ukraine stands in solidarity with Morocco in this tragic ordeal,” he added.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his condolences to the “brotherly” Moroccan people and Turkey’s support on Saturday. “We support our Moroccan brothers in every way on this difficult day,” he wrote on X. “Turkey stands ready, as always, to provide any form of support to heal the wounds” of Morocco, said specified in a press release the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Extremely saddened by the loss of life [humaines] following the earthquake in Morocco,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, host of the G20 summit, wrote on X. “In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the people of Morocco. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. »
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The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said he was “heartbroken” in a message on X. “My thoughts and prayers are with Moroccans, following the deadly earthquake of the night last. We are ready to respond to immediate health needs,” he wrote. “I learned with great pain of the tragic consequences of the earthquake which struck the Kingdom of Morocco. I express my deep and sincere condolences to His Majesty King Mohamed VI, to the Moroccan people and to the families of the victims,” the President of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, also declared on the social network. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), based in Saudi Arabia, prayed for “a speedy recovery for the injured”.
#international #solidarity #established