Foreign reactions and offers of aid in response to Morocco earthquake

Following are offers of aid and other reaction from foreign governments to the powerful earthquake that struck Morocco late on Friday, killing more than 1,000 and destroying buildings in the deadliest tremor to hit the country in decades.

Offers of foreign aid:

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Spain May 30, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS

Algeria

Algeria, which broke off ties with Morocco two years ago, said it would open its air space for humanitarian and medical flights to Morocco. In a statement, Algeria's presidency said it was ready to provide humanitarian aid and offer all its material and human capabilities in solidarity with the Moroccan people, if Morocco requests such help.

Turkey

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Ankara was ready to provide all kinds of support "to heal the wounds of the earthquake in Morocco".

Turkey's AFAD disaster management authority said 265 aid workers from AFAD, Turkish Red Crescent and other Turkish NGOs were ready to travel to the earthquake region in case Morocco calls for international assistance. It also said that Turkey was ready to deliver 1,000 tents to the affected areas.

France

"France ... is ready to provide immediately its help for the rescue and assistance to the populations affected by this tragedy," the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Valerie Pecresse, president of the Paris region, said on X it was offering 500,000 euros ($535,000)in aid for Morocco.

Benoit Payan, the mayor of Marseille, said firemen will be sent to help rescue crews in Morocco, adding that Marrakech is Marseille's "sister city".

The regions of Occitanie, Corsica and Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur jointly pledged 1 million euros in humanitarian aid for Morocco.

Spain

"The Spain military emergency unit and our embassy and consulates are at the disposal of Morocco," Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said at a G20 meeting in New Delhi.

Antonio Nogales, president of Spain's Firefighters Without Frontiers, told RTVE Spanish television: "We are in contact with the Moroccan authorities and we are ready to go and help." The organization was involved in helping find survivors of the earthquake in Turkey in February.

Israel

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said “Israel is extending its hand to Morocco in this difficult time that it is experiencing," according to the ministry's post on X, originally in Arabic.

Israel's Magen David Adom national medical and disaster emergency service said its head contacted the president of Moroccan Red Crescent with an offer of help.

"Representatives from Magen David Adom are gearing up to depart within the next few hours," it said in a statement. "They will be joining hands with delegations from the Ministry of Health and the Israel Defense Forces."

Tunisia

The Tunisian presidency said President Kais Saied had

"authorised coordination with the Moroccan authorities to direct urgent aid and send civil protection teams to support the Kingdom’s search and rescue efforts. He also authorized the facilitation of a delegation from the Tunisian Red Crescent to contribute to relief operations and surround the injured."

Romania

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said "the Romanian authorities are in close contact with the Moroccan authorities and ready to offer assistance".

Taiwan

Taiwan’s fire department said it had put a team of 120 rescuers on standby to go to Morocco who can go the moment they get instructions from Taiwan’s foreign ministry.

Some quotes from foreign leaders:

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a joint press conference at the Maximos Mansion in Athens, Greece, August 25, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Inaugurating a G20 Summit in New Delhi

"We pray that all the injured people get well soon. The entire world community is with Morocco in this difficult time and we are ready to provide them all possible assistance."

Russian President Vladimir Putin in a message to Moroco’s King Mohammed VI

"Please convey words of sympathy and support to the families and friends of the victims, as well as wishes for a speedy recovery to all those who have suffered as a result of this natural disaster."

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan

"We stand by our Moroccan brothers with all our means in this difficult day."

Read also: Pakistan stands in solidarity with Morocco after devastating earthquake

Algerian Foreign Ministry

"Algeria expresses its sincere condolences to the Moroccan people's brothers in the earthquake victims," the ministry was quoted as saying on the state TV's Facebook page. "

"Algeria follows with great grief the consequences of the violent earthquake that hit several regions in the Kingdom of Morocco."

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock

"Awful images are reaching us from Morocco. Together with the people of Morocco, we mourn the victims of the terrible earthquake. Our thoughts are with them and all those who are searching for those buried in these hours and fighting for the lives of the many injured."

French President Emmanuel Macron

"We are all shocked after the terrible earthquake in Morocco. France stands ready to help first aid responses."

King Felipe VI of Spain in message to Morocco’s King

"I am devastated to receive the news of the violent earthquake ... which has caused a very high number of casualties ... I wish to inform you in the name of the Spanish people of our deepest sympathies for the terrible consequences of the disaster and our deepest condolences."

United Arab Emirates

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its sincere condolences to the government and people of Morocco, and to the families of the victims of this tragedy, as well as its wishes for a speedy recovery for all the injured.

Assistance to foreign nationals:

French Foreign and European Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna speaks at the Quai d'Orsay as part of the annual Conference of Ambassadors in Paris, France, August 29, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS

France

The French Foreign Ministry said its embassy in Morocco and the ministry in Paris have opened crisis centres "to respond to demands for information or help from our compatriots."

Germany

The German embassy in Rabat has set up an emergency number for Germans affected by the earthquake and is in close contact with local authorities, a German foreign ministry spokesperson said, without providing further details.

Israel

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was identifying the locations of its citizens now present in Morocco, "communicating with them and checking on them."

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