MOROCCO: As news of the earthquake spread worldwide, countries from all corners of the globe extended their support to Morocco. Offers of aid and assistance have been arriving steadily since the disaster struck.
Following are some of the offers of support and assistance made by international governments in response to the powerful earthquake that occurred late on Friday in Morocco.
Spain
Spain’s Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares, announced on Sunday that Spain would dispatch search and rescue teams and provide aid in response to a formal request for assistance from Morocco. “It is a sign of Spanish solidarity and of the sense of friendship that unites the people of Spain with the people of Morocco,” said Albares, following a call from his Moroccan counterpart.
A unit from the Spanish Emergency Military Unit (UME), a specialised army unit for search and rescue missions, was set to fly to Morocco.
Tunisia
Tunisia has put together a team ready for deployment, pending authorization from Morocco, to assist in search and rescue operations. A spokesperson from Tunisia’s civil protection agency announced this on Sunday.
Officials from the Interior Ministry stated earlier that the team had already reached Morocco. The team comprises approximately 50 paramedics, specialised unit members, search dogs, advanced thermal monitoring equipment, a drone for locating victims in debris, and a mobile field hospital.
Turkey
On Saturday, Turkey’s AFAD disaster management authority announced that 265 aid workers from AFAD, the Turkish Red Crescent, and various Turkish NGOs were prepared to be deployed to the earthquake-stricken region should Morocco request international assistance.
Additionally, Turkey had made arrangements to supply 1,000 tents to the impacted areas. However, as of Sunday, the deployment of the team had not yet taken place.
Taiwan
The Taiwan Fire Department stated on Saturday that it has prepared a team of 120 rescuers who are on standby and ready to deploy to Morocco as soon as they receive instructions from Taiwan’s foreign ministry.
France
France is prepared to assist Morocco, but as of now, the Moroccan government has not made a formal request for help, according to a statement by a spokesperson from the French Foreign Ministry.
Separately, the Foreign Ministry has announced the activation of a fund consisting of contributions from local governments to support solidarity initiatives. So far, nearly 2 million euros (equivalent to $2.14 million) have been committed to this fund.
Additionally, numerous French companies have expressed their intention to contribute to France’s relief efforts and have reached out to the ministry for this purpose.
On Saturday, telecom company Orange (ORAN.PA) announced that it will waive fees for its mobile customers when making calls, both fixed and mobile, as well as sending SMS to Morocco, until September 16. Additionally, Orange’s subsidiaries in Belgium, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia have also introduced a one-week period of free communication to Morocco.
Algeria
Algeria, which severed its diplomatic relations with Morocco two years prior, declared that it would permit flights carrying assistance and medical supplies to Morocco.
The presidency of Algeria declared in a statement on Saturday that, should Morocco ask for it, it is prepared to offer humanitarian aid and all of its resources, both human and material, in support of the Moroccan people.
Israel
On Saturday, the head of Israel’s Magen David Adom national medical and disaster emergency service reached out to the president of the Moroccan Red Crescent, extending an offer of assistance.
“Representatives from Magen David Adom are gearing up to depart within the next few hours. They will be joining hands with delegations from the Ministry of Health and the Israel Defense Forces,” it stated in a statement.
Kuwait
Kuwait’s Emir, Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, instructed the government to ensure the provision of essential relief supplies to Morocco.
Also Read: Devastating Earthquake Strikes Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, Claiming over 632 Lives
