Earthquake in Morocco: Afreximbank announces aid of 500,000 US dollars for victims
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) announced on September 19, 2023, a contribution of 500,000 US dollars to provide immediate humanitarian aid to the Kingdom of Morocco, following the devastation caused by a violent earthquake of magnitude of 6.8. on the night of September 8 to 9, 2023. This earthquake particularly affected the regions of Al Haouz, Chichaoua, Taroudant, Amizmiz and Marrakech. It was the most powerful earthquake to hit the center of the nation in more than a century, killing nearly 3,000 people and injuring many more. Historical and cultural sites also suffered severe damage and many citizens were displaced.
This donation will be used to help the government in its recovery, relief and reconstruction efforts. The support will help meet basic needs (food, water, clothing and shelter) and restore electricity and other essential services to affected families.
“We are committed to helping the government of Morocco recover from this devastating earthquake. The provision of food, water and shelter is vital following the earthquake and today’s donation demonstrates our continued commitment to humanitarian relief efforts in times of crisis. This action will support organizations on the ground in their recovery efforts. Our hearts and prayers go out to Morocco, a Member State of the Bank, and its citizens during these difficult times,” said Professor Benedict Oramah, Chairman of Afreximbank and the Bank’s Board of Directors.
This support is a continuation of the Bank’s response to humanitarian crises affecting its Member States, such as the Ebola outbreak in 2014, Tropical Cyclone Idai in 2019, Covid-19 relief efforts in 2020 and support for flood relief efforts in Southern Africa in 2022 and 2023.
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a pan-African multilateral financial institution dedicated to financing and promoting intra- and extra-African trade. For 30 years, Afreximbank has deployed innovative structures to provide financing solutions that facilitate the transformation of African trade structure and accelerate industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby supporting economic expansion in Africa. A staunch supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank launched operations of a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) which was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to support the implementation of the AfCFTA.
