Following last weekend’s devastating earthquake in Morocco, King Mohammed VI chaired a meeting dedicated to the activation of the emergency program for the resettlement of the victims.
The working meeting was attended by the Head of Government, Mr. Aziz Akhannouch, Advisor to HM the King, Mr. Fouad Ali El Himma, the Interior Minister, Mr. Abdelouafi Laftit, the Endowments and Islamic Affairs Minister, Mr. Ahmed Toufiq, the Economy and Finance Minister, Ms. Nadia Fettah, the National Territory Planning, Land Planning, Housing and City Policy Minister Ms. Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy and Finance, in charge of the Budget, Mr. Faouzi Lekjaa, as well as Lieutenant General Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of the FAR and Commander of the Southern Zone.”
The emergency program is part of the royal instructions ordered during a work session held on Saturday, a day following the earthquake.
The resettlement program presented to the monarch was prepared by an inter-ministerial commission established under royal instructions to address approximately 50,000 completely or partially collapsed residences across the five affected provinces.
One part of the plan is to have an internally displaced camp as an emergency temporary housing for the affected population in structures that are designed to withstand cold and bad weather as the country enters the fall months.
The Moroccan news agency, MAP reports that the kingdom will grant $3,000 in emergency aid to the affected households.
The monarch also stressed the urgent nature of the rehousing operation, as some of the affected families have continued to spend their nights outside or in inadequate housing after their homes collapsed.
The resettlement plan also includes urgent reconstruction actions to be carried out immediately after land preparation and stabilization. The country is planning to hand out direct financial aid of MAD 140,000 ($13,800) for completely collapsed homes and MAD 80,000 ($8,000) to cover the reconstruction of partially collapsed houses.
The reconstruction efforts are to be carried out in accordance with the region’s architectural and cultural identity, as well as up to safety standards.
King Mohammed VI also stressed the importance of upgrading the infrastructure and quality of public services in the affected areas, and ordered that the children who have been orphaned due to the disaster be granted the status of Wards of the Nation.
Since striking Morocco on Friday night, the devastating earthquake has so far resulted in 3,000 fatalities and left over 5,000 others suffering from injuries of varying severities.
