In September, two natural disasters occurred in Morocco and Libya, which were respectively hit by a magnitude-7 earthquake – Morocco’s deadliest since 1960 – and flooding caused by Storm Daniel.
Thousands of people lost their lives, were injured or reported missing in both countries. To help local populations cope with these humanitarian crises, the Audemars Piguet Foundations decided to donate an initial CHF 650,000 to four organisations working in the field: the Swiss Red Cross, the Moroccan Red Crescent, a local NGO called L’Heure Joyeuse and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The Swiss Red Cross, the Moroccan Red Crescent and L’Heure Joyeuse are providing emergency aid to the inhabitants of the Moroccan provinces worst affected by the earthquake, notably Al Haouz province located south-west of Marrakech. Among other things, the Swiss Red Cross is helping to manage the logistics involved in receiving and distributing the relief supplies arriving in the Kingdom. The Moroccan Red Crescent, meanwhile, is carrying out various relief operations, while L’Heure Joyeuse is mobilising its teams and partners to help improve the living conditions of earthquake victims.
In Libya, the Audemars Piguet Foundations have chosen to support the ICRC, which has been working closely with the Libyan Red Crescent and local authorities for over a decade. In the aftermath of the storm, the ICRC quickly refocused its efforts on meeting the needs of those affected by the flooding, while continuing its existing conflict-related operations. In particular, it is helping to reunite families separated by the disaster and to ensure the population has access to vital products and basic necessities.
