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WASHINGTON (CN) — The United States is making $1 million available to organizations in Morocco, as offers of support from relief groups and international governments remain largely unanswered in the aftermath of a massive earthquake last week.
The United States Agency for International Development, an independent body that oversees tens of billions of dollars in foreign aid, announced the funds Wednesday for organizations providing emergency food assistance, health services, shelter and mental health and psychosocial resources.
“In the wake of the earthquake and its aftershocks, we have seen tremendous bravery and compassion from people doing everything they can to offer help,” USAID Administrator Samantha Power said in a statement. “Neighbors have come together to rush food and water to families who have lost their homes. First responders have spent hours searching for those still trapped. Citizens have stood in long lines to donate blood.”
The magnitude 6.8 earthquake, the biggest for the North African country in 120 years, hit Sept. 8. It has reportedly killed more than 2,900 people and injured at least 5,530.
Some international entities are growing frustrated at Morocco’s reluctance to take up offers of outside assistance, standing in stark contrast with Turkey, which quickly welcomed rescue crews from 90 countries after a devastating earthquake in February.
Morocco has accepted government-backed crews from Spain, Qatar, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, but has not taken up offers from the United States, France and several other countries.
Moroccan officials have said they don’t want to risk a potentially chaotic and uncoordinated effort with dozens of countries and organizations coming in to help at once, especially with many of the disaster zones in hard-to-reach areas of the Atlas Mountains.
“We don’t need numbers. We need speedy work to get to the population. We have enough people to do that,” Moroccan Senator Lahcen Haddad said. “If there is aid, it will be later. In any case, for those people who are impatient to help, there will be enough work for everyone.”
Shortly after the earthquake, Power said USAID deployed a “small assessment team” to support local efforts in surveying damage. Her statement emphasized that the Moroccan government is leading the response and U.S. support has so far been limited to “technical expertise” to bolster the emergency response effort.
John Kirby, coordinator of strategic communications for the National Security Council, told reporters Wednesday that the Biden administration is in “direct contact” with the Moroccan government about its needs.
“We stand ready to provide even more assistance should it be required and needed,” he said.
As of Monday, the State Department had not received reports of U.S. citizens killed but said some had been injured.Morocco, a country of about 37 million people, is a strong U.S. partner in counterterrorism efforts in Africa, particularly against Islamic militants in the region. It received $70.2 million in aid from Washington in fiscal 2022, including about $18.6 million in security funding, $15.4 million for education and social services and $9.4 million for economic development.
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