French media are offended by Morocco not asking France for aid, while President Macron addresses Moroccans directly through a video considered inappropriate

Why is Morocco refusing aid from France? Why has Morocco not accepted help from France so far? Earthquake in Morocco: Why is French aid not essential at this time? These are the types of questions that the French media are asking, knowingly ignoring the thanks sent by King Mohamed VI to the countries that offered their aid following the earthquake that struck Morocco last Friday, September 8.

The Cherifian Sovereign expressed, during the working session he chaired on Saturday at the Royal Palace in Rabat, the “most sincere thanks of the Kingdom of Morocco to the many brotherly and friendly countries which have expressed their solidarity with the Moroccan people in this difficult situation and several of whom have expressed their availability to provide help and assistance in these particular circumstances.

Morocco has currently integrated the offers of support made by Spain, Qatar, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates; which focus exclusively on the search and rescue of disaster victims, through specialized teams.

Presumably, in France, we do not tolerate the fact that France is not among these four countries and the comments go in all directions. To want to explain the absence of particular attention which should have been paid by Rabat to French aid, some commentators mention the affair of the Pegasus software which would have allowed the Moroccan authorities to listen to the personal telephone of Emmanuel Macron, the Rabat’s non-compliance with border agreements for foreigners in an irregular situation in France, or even Paris’ refusal to recognize the Moroccan nature of the Sahara.

Faced with this controversy, the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior took the trouble to explain the approach adopted by Rabat in the context of managing this tragedy. He, among other things, explained that the decisions of the Moroccan authorities are taken in light of the evolution of the situation and Morocco wants to ensure that any international aid that should intervene is well organized and well articulated, to prevent any mix-ups. , knowing that the best help is not massive help, but useful, effective and well-coordinated help. The Moroccan government specifies that it could in the future accept other offers “if needs evolve”.

However, all these explanations do not seem to convince and the French media continue with their controversy. We must ask ourselves what is the point of all this media agitation in France, given the responsible attitude of a country which wants to maintain control of relief efforts on its territory?

Why aren’t other countries that have also offered help making as much noise? For example, the American Deputy Assistant Secretary for North Africa, Joshua Harris, had just reaffirmed, on September 7, support for the autonomy plan in the Sahara as being serious, credible and realistic. However, American aid is also put on hold and the Americans are not offended!

This Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron took the liberty of speaking directly to Moroccans as if to clarify the situation and called for “all controversies which divide (…) to be done out of respect”. Macron should rather address only his compatriots who are at the origin of these controversies, we do not know for what interest, to lecture them.

For Moroccans, only their Sovereign, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, has the right to address them. Morocco has a head of state and it is through him that any message must pass to the Moroccan people and not otherwise.

It should be emphasized and recalled that Morocco is indeed in control of the situation after the earthquake which has already caused more than 2,900 deaths. Moroccans with their King are mobilized to help people in need. Necessary donations of various kinds (medical, food, clothing, etc.) are sent to places in need in a surge of solidarity and generosity from all the Moroccan people, men, women, old people, children and young people of all. ages and all socio-economic categories; from all regions of Morocco from Tangier to the Mauritanian border.

We saw hundreds of trucks and trailers take the road, filled with aid of all kinds, towards the disaster-stricken regions, recalling the epic Green March in 1975 for the recovery of the Moroccan Sahara under Spanish colonization at the time. Today is the march of solidarity, generosity and resilience of Moroccans.

Reflections by the authorities are underway for reconstruction. So, respecting the pain currently felt by Moroccans is the least we can ask for!

By OMA Newsletter N° 1314 of 09/13/2023
Article published under the direction of Dr Najib Kettani

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