After a violent, deadly earthquake in Morocco, the question of international humanitarian aid arises, because the country has so far accepted material support from only five countries. The French government and several NGOs offered their services.
A magnitude 7 earthquake shook Morocco on the night of September 8 to 9, 2022. The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the Al Haouz region, southwest of Marrakech. The human toll is heavy: at least 2,122 people have been killed and 2,421 injured, according to the latest figures from the Moroccan Interior Ministry. Many people are still missing under the rubble.
Moroccan authorities appealed for international aid, but only accepted help from four countries: Spain, Qatar, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. France promised 5 million euros in aid to NGOs on site while Morocco did not wish to respond to this call for humanitarian aid from France. This refusal is partly explained, quite probably, by a tense diplomatic context between the two countries.
France is awaiting Morocco’s response to provide assistance
“I decided this morning, from the emergency funds of the ministry, to allocate 5 million euros for the NGOs on site so that they can work,” declared Catherine Colonna, Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the microphone of RMC Monday September 11. Since the G20 summit in New Delhi, Emmanuel Macron also spoke yesterday about this event: “The Moroccan authorities know exactly what we can deliver, the nature and the timing. The second this aid will be requested, it will be deployed, and we stand ready.”
Moroccan rescuers are working hard to find survivors under the rubble of the earthquake which struck the southwest of Marrakech. France is ready to provide aid to Morocco, but the latter has not yet launched an international appeal for aid. The Moroccan government wants to manage the crisis on its own, and it fears some foreign interference. In addition, the arrival of hundreds of NGOs could be harmful in the event of poor coordination.
Help from France
Some French NGOs and associations are already on site and working in conjunction with Moroccan organizations. Others, like Rescuers Without Borders, are waiting for the green light from the Moroccan authorities to intervene. Karine Meau, emergency manager at the Fondation de France, told France Inter that “a little over a million euros” had been collected to help the Moroccan population. The aim of this call for donations is to provide essential aid because “the money that is sent will be used to buy food, water and mattresses”.
Jérémy Crunchant, spokesperson for the civil protection of the Alpes-Maritimes, stressed to the World that a “team of around thirty people, doctors, nurses, rescuers, dog handlers, logisticians and transmission specialists is ready to leave for Morocco”.
In February, Turkey and Syria launched an appeal for international aid after an earthquake which left more than 50,000 dead. The NGOs were then able to send volunteers and materials quickly.
Gérald Darmanin, was also questioned about French aid to Morocco: “France is available to Morocco. Morocco is a large country, which has great civil protection and is capable of responding to this type of difficulty on its own. .”