The World Tourism Network Encourages Morocco to Accept Foreign Aid to Help in Earthquake response and recovery to deal with this natural disaster.

With the G20 ongoing in Delhi, India, it appears the world is united and ready to come together for Morocco, waiting for the Kingdom to say YES to help.

World Tourism Network Security Statement

Dr. Peter Tarlow, international security expert and president of the World Tourism Network, has requested that the Moroccan government accept international aid as it struggles to rescue the living after the Marrakesh earthquake and aid those who have survived. Tarlow noted that tourism is about assisting and caring for each other, and as such, it is essential that the world’s nations unite to bury the dead and aid the living.

Tarlow noted nations such as the United States, France, Turkey, Germany, and Israel tragically have great experience in search and rescue operations.

These nations seek only to aid the Moroccan people and provide both material and psychological comfort to the earthquake’s victims and the entirety of the Moroccan people.

Tourism is not only about having a good time but also about peace, understanding, and mutual aid.

As such, the World Tourism Network stands ready not only to help Morocco during this tough period but also to aid also this beautiful travel and travel destination with long history and heritage to rebuild its tourism industry in the coming years.

Tourism is about all of us being one. We encourage the government of Morocco to allow others to extend their hands in love and friendship, and pray for the earthquake’s victims and survivors.

Visitors in Morocco after the Earthquake

Thousands of tourists are currently in Marrakesh and puts this city in the spotlight of global media attention. But also ther parts of Morocco are suffering, but it appears almost all foreign visitors are safe and taken care of.

However, the situation is fluent, and there are limited resources and exceptions. F reign visitors rely in part on the help resources and advice from their home countries.

Assistance by Embassies and foreign Governments to help citizens in Morocco

Currently, embassies in Morocco are ready to assist its citizens.

The French Embassy in Rabat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs opened crisis centers to resprespond to French and EU citizens’ demands for information and help.

“France is ready to provide immediately its help for the rescue and assistance to the populations affected by this tragedy,” the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Valerie Pecresse, president of the Paris region, said on X it was offering 500,000 euros ($535,000) in aid for Morocco.

Benoit Payan, the mayor of Marseille, is ready to send firefighters to Morocco. He added that Marrakesh is Marseille’s sister city. The regions of Occitanie, Corsica, and Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur jointly pledged 1 million euros in humanitarian aid for Morocco.

Telecoms group Orange stated that from 8 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Saturday, it would implement for its mobile clients free fixed and mobile calls as well as free SMS to Morocco, until Sept. 16. Its units in Belgium, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia have also announced free communications to Morocco for a week.

The German Embassy in Rabat and the Foreign Ministry in Berlin set up an emergency phone number for Germans affected by the earthquake. A German government spokesperson said Germany was in close contact with local authorities in Morocco.

At a G20 summit in New Delhi, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the quake “has moved and worried many people here. We are all in the process of organizing support. Germany has also already mobilized its technical relief agency and we will do our best to help those who can be helped”.

Recently, Israel has been sending a lot of tourists to Morocco. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem is trying to identify the whereabouts of its citizens, and I am in communication with many.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said that Israel is extending its hand to Morocco in this challenging time based on a post on X.

Israel’s national medical and disaster emergency service contacted the president of the Moroccan Red Crescent with an offer of help. Israel is ready to depart within a few hours if called.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry in Ankara is ready to provide all kinds of support according to a statement.

Turkey’s AFAD disaster management authority said 265 aid workers from AFAD, Turkish Red Crescent, and other Turkish NGOs were ready to travel to the earthquake region if Morocco calls for international assistance. It also said that Turkey was prepared to deliver 1,000 tents to the affected areas.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, “I express my deep sadness at the loss of life and destruction caused by yesterday’s earthquake in Morocco and extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of those affected. The United States is ready to provide any necessary assistance as Morocco responds to this tragedy.”

The Spanish military emergency unit and our embassy and consulates are at the disposal of Morocco. This was related to what Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said at the G20 meeting in New Delhi.

Antonio Nogales, president of Spain’s Firefighters Without Frontiers is in contact with Moroccan authorities ready to assist. The organization was involved in helping find survivors of the earthquake in Turkey in February.

The Tunisian presidency said President Kais Saied had authorized coordination with the Moroccan authorities to direct urgent aid and send civil protection teams to support the Kingdom’s search and rescue efforts. He also authorized the facilitation of a delegation from the Tunisian Red Crescent to contribute to relief operations and surround the injured.”

Kuwait’s Emir Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah directed the government to provide all necessary relief supplies for Morocco, the state news agency (KUNA) said.

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu confirmed that Romanian authorities are in close contact with the Moroccan authorities and are ready to offer assistance.

Taiwan’s fire department put a team of 120 rescuers on standby to go to Morocco, who can go when they get authorization.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the G20 summit ongoing in Delhi: “We pray that all the injured peopl get well soon. The entire world community is with Morocco in this difficult time and we are ready to provide them with all possible assistance.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin sends a message to the King of Morocco Mohamed VI saying

“Please convey words of sympathy and support to the families and friends of the victims, as well as wishes for a speedy recovery to all those who have suffered as a result of this natural disaster.”

Morocco’s neighbor Algeria opened its airspace for planes to fly rescue aid to the kingdom.

The UAE expressed its sincere condolences to the government and people of Morocco, and to the families of the victims of this tragedy, as well as its wishes for a speedy recovery for all the injured.