Morocco Earthquake: Several Heads of State and Government Express Sympathy

The earthquake that shook several regions of Morocco on Friday evening prompted a vast outpouring of solidarity from numerous heads of state and government and international organizations, who expressed their condolences, solidarity and compassion for the Kingdom and its people following this natural disaster that claimed several victims. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated his country’s “support and solidarity” with Morocco at “this tragic time”, saying he was deeply saddened by the loss of life and destruction caused by the devastating earthquake. In Europe, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, declared that her “heart goes out to the Moroccan people in the face of the terrible earthquake which has taken hundreds of lives,” adding that her thoughts were with the families of the victims, the injured to whom she wished a speedy recovery, and the first aid workers who are doing an admirable job. The Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, said in a similar statement that his “thoughts are with the Moroccan people, affected by a terrible earthquake that has shaken the country.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed that “in these difficult hours, our thoughts are with the victims of this earthquake,” expressing his compassion for all those affected by this natural disaster. “My solidarity and support for the Moroccan people in the face of this terrible earthquake”, said Pedro Sanchez, President of the Spanish Government, adding that “Spain stands with the victims of this tragedy and their families.” The United Kingdom, through its Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, also expressed its sympathy and support “to our Moroccan friends” following the disaster. The head of the Italian government, Giorgia Meloni, said she was saddened by the tragic toll of the earthquake and expressed her solidarity with Morocco in this emergency situation. In the same vein, Belgian Prime Minister Alexandre De Croo expressed his thoughts to the victims and their families, and offered his “sincere condolences to the Moroccan government and people”, assuring them that Belgium stands by Morocco at this difficult time. Arab countries have also multiplied their statements of compassion towards Morocco, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi, who expressed his sincere condolences following this terrible earthquake, underlining the solidarity of his country, government and people, with the Kingdom. The Secretary General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, expressed his “sincere condolences and feelings of compassion with the families of the victims”, expressing the hope that Morocco would soon overcome this difficult ordeal. On the African continent, the President of the Republic of Burundi, Evariste Ndayishimiye, on behalf of the Burundian people and in his own name, expressed his sincere condolences to the families bereaved by the violent earthquake that took so many lives. Expressing his solidarity with Morocco, Kenyan President William Ruto said that his country stood by the Moroccan people as they coped with the devastating effects of the earthquake, adding that his thoughts and prayers were with all those affected. Similarly, Somalia, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed its “total solidarity” with the government and “the people of the brotherly Kingdom of Morocco” at this difficult time, and conveyed its deep condolences and feelings of compassion with the bereaved families. In Asia, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed his deep sorrow and sadness at the loss of so many precious lives and the number of people injured, expressing his sincere condolences and sympathy to the bereaved families. “I sincerely pray for the speedy recovery of those affected and for the rapid reconstruction of the stricken areas”, he added. His Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, host of this weekend’s G20 summit in New Delhi, expressed his condolences to the families of the earthquake victims, saying he was “extremely saddened” by the loss of life. “In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the people of Morocco. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones”, he said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his country’s solidarity with Morocco in this tragic ordeal, and his deep condolences to all Moroccans for the lives lost in the earthquake. Deeply saddened by the loss of human life and the damage caused by the powerful earthquake, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, also expressed, on his own behalf and that of the Azerbaijani people, his most sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and to the brotherly people of Morocco, and his wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured. In addition, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Hissein Brahim Taha, expressed his deep condolences and sincere sympathy to the Kingdom of Morocco, as well as his solidarity with the families of the victims of this disaster, praying to the Almighty to surround the victims with His Holy Mercy and grant a speedy recovery to the injured, while assuring Morocco of the OIC’s support in this difficult ordeal. In solidarity with Morocco, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, said she was “deeply saddened to learn of the devastating earthquake that has struck the Kingdom,” saying her thoughts were with the victims and their families coping with this tragedy, as well as with those on the front line of the relief effort.