Al Haouz Earthquake: Under Leadership of HM the King, Morocco Demonstrated Determination, Seriousness and Solidarity – Hilale –

Under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco has demonstrated determination, seriousness, solidarity and will to face the effects of the earthquake which shook some regions of the Kingdom, said, Tuesday in New York, the ambassador and permanent representative of Morocco to the United Nations, Omar Hilale. “From the very start, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, gave his high instructions to mobilize all state services, including the Royal Armed Forces, government departments, local authorities, public forces and civil protection teams in order to take the necessary emergency measures to speed up relief operations, evacuate injured people, provide aid to affected families and set up an inter-ministerial commission in charge of the deployment of an emergency rehabilitation and assistance program for the reconstruction of destroyed houses in disaster-stricken areas,” stressed Mr. Hilale in a statement on behalf of Morocco, during the general debate of the 78th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. He also noted that Morocco, under the effective leadership and direct supervision of the Sovereign, moved from the relief stage to that of rehabilitation and reconstruction of the disaster-stricken areas, adding that His Majesty the King gave His High Instructions for the activation of a thoughtful, integrated and ambitious program intended to provide a strong, coherent, rapid and proactive response to the effects of this earthquake, with a global forecast budget estimated at $12 billion over a period of five years, whose first version covers all the affected regions, targeting a population of 4.2 million inhabitants. Designed on the basis of a precise diagnosis of needs, this program includes projects aimed at the reconstruction of houses and the upgrading of affected infrastructure and the strengthening of socio-economic dynamics in the regions concerned, he said, stressing that the financing of this multisectoral program will be ensured through credits allocated from the State’s general budget, contributions from local authorities and the Special Solidarity Account dedicated to the management of the effects of the earthquake, as well as through donations and international cooperation. Mr. Hilale underlined that His Majesty the King insisted that the reconstruction operation shall be carried out in harmony with the legacy of the region and its unique architectural characteristics, while respecting the dignity of the populations, as well as their customs and patterns of life. Meanwhile, the different components of Moroccan society, both internal and external, joined the collective effort to provide aid to the affected populations, in a surge of solidarity and national synergy unheard of, he pointed out. The ambassador and permanent representative of Morocco to the UN also expressed the thanks and gratitude of the Kingdom to their Majesties, Highnesses and Excellencies, Kings, Princes and Heads of State and Government and ministers who expressed their support and solidarity with Morocco following the earthquake, as well as their willingness to stand alongside the Kingdom to deal with the effects of this earthquake.