The below is attributable to Spokesperson Jessica Jennings:
Administrator Samantha Power arrived in Morocco on May 19, beginning her visit with a tour of the historic Marrakech Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
On May 20, Administrator Power visited the communities of Aghbalou and Amizmiz in the Al Haouz province, which were devastated by the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the High Atlas region of Morocco on September 8, 2023. While there, the Administrator met with students and community leaders to see how USAID’s partnerships with the Government of Morocco and local organizations have supported the Kingdom’s recovery efforts. Administrator Power toured the elementary school in Aghbalou, which was restored with USAID’s support in partnership with UNICEF and the Government of Morocco. USAID has committed to supporting the rehabilitation of 60 schools as part of this partnership.
In Amizmiz, she met with a group of women whose families were impacted by the earthquake to hear how USAID is elevating their leadership and advocacy for their communities in the recovery process. During the conversation, the women described their experiences during and after the earthquake, and shared how the USAID-funded psychosocial support and life skills sessions have played a role in helping support their recovery.
The Administrator then visited Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Ben Guerir where she signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UM6P and GiveDirectly to launch the first component of USAID’s new climate action portfolio, the Cooperative Resilience Program. The program, which was designed in collaboration with local cooperatives, will provide financing, training and coaching to vulnerable Moroccan cooperatives and entrepreneurs to support their efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change. During her visit, the Administrator met with students and faculty from UM6P and saw how their research is helping create more resilient crops, building on Morocco’s regional leadership on food security.
Administrator Power also met with Chairman Mostafa Terrab of the OCP Group, a Moroccan fertilizer producer, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding underscoring USAID and OCP’s commitment to reduce food insecurity and enhance agricultural performance throughout Africa. Administrator Power and Mr. Terrab discussed OCP’s collaboration with USAID Missions to support better use and tailoring of fertilizer for smallholder farmers, as well as OCP’s support for educational and technical exchanges with university students in Morocco and around the world.
Administrator Power Travels to Morocco
