WASHINGTON (CN) — Morocco hasn’t accepted the United States' offer for aid in the aftermath of a massive earthquake that killed thousands, but American diplomats are continuing to propose assistance.
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake, the biggest for the North African country in 120 years, hit Friday causing widespread destruction. As of Monday afternoon, the death toll sits at 2,862, with thousands more wounded.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Morocco's foreign minister over the weekend to offer condolences and assistance.
"They also discussed how the United States can best support the government of Morocco's leadership of the humanitarian response to the tragedy, and the secretary and the foreign minister pledged to stay in close contact as the response efforts continue," State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said.
However, as of Monday, a plan for U.S. aid hadn't been finalized.
“We have made the offer for assistance and are in close consultations about how we can provide that assistance,” Miller said.
The earthquake has brought sweeping offers of assistance to Morocco from across the world, including from leaders in Ukraine and Russia, the Middle East and Europe.
Morocco, however, has so far been cautious in accepting much assistance, with its interior ministry saying Sunday that it is receiving aid from Spain, Qatar, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.
The BBC reported that Moroccan officials have said they don’t want to risk a potentially chaotic situation with dozens of countries and organizations coming in to help at once.
Miller said Monday that so far there are no reports of U.S. citizens killed, but officials are aware of “a small number of injuries.” He cautioned the situation could change as the recovery continues.
“We are working expeditiously to ensure American citizens in Morocco are safe, and stand ready to provide any necessary assistance for the Moroccan people,” President Joe Biden said in a statement Saturday.
The U.S. provided $70.2 million in aid to Morocco in fiscal year 2022. The country of about 37 million people is a strong U.S. partner in counterterrorism efforts in Africa, particularly against Islamic militants in the region.
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