Leaders and diplomats the world
over expressed condolences and support on Saturday for Morocco after a
devastating earthquake struck near tourist hotspot Marrakesh.
The 6.8-magnitude earthquake that hit late Friday killed at least 632 people
and injured 329 others, including 51 in critical condition, according to
Moroccan authorities.
Support poured in from leaders across the world, including:
– Europe –
The pope expressed his “profound solidarity” with Morocco after the quake,
according to the Vatican.
French President Emmanuel Macron meanwhile said he was “devastated” by news
of the quake, adding that “France stands ready to help with first aid”.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, of Morocco’s cross-strait neighbour Spain,
expressed his “solidarity and support to the people of Morocco in the wake of
this terrible earthquake… Spain is with the victims of this tragedy”.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said “our thoughts are with the victims of this
devastating earthquake. Our sympathy goes out to all those affected”.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she “learned with grief of the
tragic toll” from the quake and pointed to “Italy’s willingness to support
Morocco in this emergency”.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed sympathy “with
the Moroccan people in the face of the terrible earthquake”, while top EU
diplomat Josep Borrell said the bloc is ready to provide Morocco “the
assistance it wishes”.
European Council President Charles Michel wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “that
EU stands ready to support Morocco in these difficult moments”.
Swiss President Alain Berset expressed his condolences. The country’s foreign
ministry said it activated a crisis cell and is evaluating sending aid.
– Russia, Ukraine –
The leaders of both Russia and Ukraine also offered their sympathies.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his “deepest condolences to
HM King Mohammed VI and all Moroccans for the lives lost in the horrible
earthquake”.
“Ukraine stands in solidarity with Morocco during this tragic time,” he said
on social media.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed similar sentiments and said, in a
message to Morocco’s king, “we share the pain and the mourning of the
friendly Moroccan people”.
– India, Turkey –
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is hosting the G20 summit this
weekend, said he was “extremely pained by the loss of lives due to an
earthquake in Morocco”.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered support to “our Moroccan
brothers in every way in this difficult hour”.
– Middle East –
Algeria, which broke off diplomatic relations with Morocco in August 2021 at
the height of the crisis between the two countries, offered “its sincere
condolences to the brotherly Moroccan people for the victims of the
earthquake”, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “instructed all government bodies
and forces to provide any necessary assistance to the people of Morocco,
including the preparations for sending an aid delegation to the area”, his
office said.
It is the latest show of support in the wake of the 2020 Abraham Accords that
saw Israel normalise ties with a number of Arab countries, including Morocco.
The president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-
Nahyan, said we “stand with the Kingdom of Morocco during this difficult time
and wish a speedy recovery ahead to all those affected”.
He also ordered an “air bridge to deliver critical relief” to the country,
according to state news agency WAM.
Iran expressed its condolences for the “terrible earthquake”, in a statement
published on the foreign ministry’s website.
In 2018, Morocco announced that it was severing diplomatic relations with
Iran, which it accuses of facilitating a supply of arms to the Polisario
Front, a pro-independence movement in Western Sahara, via its Lebanese
Hezbollah ally.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said he was “ready to provide
any form of assistance to deal with the repercussions of the devastating
earthquake”.
King of Jordan Abdullah II urged his government to provide all kind of
possible assistance to Morocco.
– World bodies –
The head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said he
“learnt with great sadness of the tragic consequences of the earthquake that
hit the kingdom of Morocco”, expressing his “sincere condolences” to the
king, the Moroccan people and the families of the victims.
The secretary-general of the Jeddah-based Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation, Hissein Brahim Taha, prayed for “mercy on the victims and a
speedy recovery for the injured”.
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the
quake as “heartbreaking”, adding: “We stand ready to support the immediate
health needs.”
Jagan Chapagain, the head of the International Federation for Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) posted on X that “teams from (the Moroccan Red
Crescent) responded immediately supporting the affected people”.
“My thoughts are with everyone impacted by this disaster. IFRC is ready to
support,” he wrote. (BSS/AFP)
