This is probably the most severe earthquake ever recorded in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains. The tremors were felt not only throughout the entire northern part of the country, but also in Mauritania and Algeria, and even on the Iberian Peninsula. When faced with a natural disaster of this magnitude, it is crucial to act quickly to rescue people, especially in mountainous areas that are difficult for rescue teams to reach. In Morocco, the dwellings there are mostly collectively built by village communities. This is done using modest traditional materials that can withstand extreme climate fluctuations, but not strong shockwaves.
Although it quickly became clear that the kingdom needed international support to cope with the disaster, it was selective in accepting aid offers from abroad. Initially, assistance was only accepted from friendly states who, after the US and Israel recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the illegally occupied Western Sahara in 2021, stated that they were also considering it. These countries include Spain, Great Britain, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. As a result, support from EU countries like Germany, where decisions to not import goods produced in the Western Sahara are still being followed, is initially rejected. To put it mildly, this behavior is questionable.
Algeriens Angebot und Marokkos Reaktion
Algeria, which has suspended all relations with Morocco for the past two years due to the Western Sahara conflict, is acting without resentment. The government in Algiers promptly opens its airspace to facilitate international aid shipments to the affected region. It is likely due to pressure from the population that Moroccan Minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouahbi announces on state television on September 11th that they officially accept the offers coming from Algeria, including specialized civil defense units, search teams with dogs, doctors, and relief supplies to aid survivors. And this will happen immediately.
Damit bricht sich ein Pragmatismus Bahn, der in großen Teilen der marokkanischen Verwaltung längst verankert ist. Man weiß, durch wirksame internationale Katastrophenhilfe lässt sich punkten gegen die politische Verbohrtheit der monarchistischen Elite.