Progress Report on Reconstruction Efforts in Al Haouz Region Following Earthquake

On Tuesday, in Rabat, the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, chaired a meeting of the inter-ministerial committee responsible for the reconstruction and improvement program for areas affected by the Al Haouz earthquake. This session also marked the third meeting of the Strategic Orientation Council of the High Atlas Development Agency, established to oversee the implementation of this program in accordance with the Royal High Instructions.

At the onset of the meeting, Mr. Akhannouch commended the progress made in the deployment of this initiative. He urged all stakeholders to accelerate the pace of execution and enhance efficiency in order to complete ongoing projects and provide concrete solutions to the affected populations.

During the meeting, the Director General of the High Atlas Development Agency delivered a detailed presentation on the status of the program. It was reported that reconstruction and rehabilitation work has been completed for 54,425 housing units, while over 3,000 units are still under construction.

The total amount of financial assistance allocated to affected households has surpassed 7.2 billion dirhams, with 4.7 billion dirhams designated for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of homes, alongside more than 2.5 billion dirhams in monthly emergency aid benefiting over 63,000 families.

In terms of infrastructure, more than 2.5 billion dirhams have been mobilized, particularly for debris removal and road reopening. Current projects involve the rehabilitation of 288 kilometers of roads, 49 engineering structures, and 8 kilometers of signage, with progress rates varying per project.

In the education sector, the program aims to rehabilitate and reconstruct 1,718 educational institutions with a total budget exceeding 3.5 billion dirhams. To date, 372 institutions have been completed, while projects for 1,090 other institutions have commenced across several provinces.

In health, 110 health centers have been rehabilitated and rebuilt, with work starting at an additional 37 centers, at an estimated total cost of 562 million dirhams.

In agriculture, an action plan has been rolled out, including the free distribution of livestock and barley to farmers, as well as the rehabilitation of agricultural and hydraulic infrastructures, including upgrades to 14 drinking water supply systems.

The tourism sector has also seen advancements, with 235 accommodation establishments completing their rehabilitation work, representing 98% of the beneficiaries of the support program.

Additionally, 180 cooperatives have benefited from various support mechanisms under the social and solidarity economy framework, while the first tranche of funding has been allocated to support 1,101 craft workshops.

Finally, 1,239 mosques have been reopened following their rehabilitation, and restoration work on 64 historical sites continues, aiming to preserve and promote national heritage.

In parallel, the third meeting of the Strategic Orientation Council of the Agency provided a summary of the action program for the year 2025, reviewed and approved projects scheduled for 2026, and adopted the budget allocated for their realization.