The Moroccan government is promising to look into the needs of isolated communities hard hit by an unusually severe winter.

By Siham Ali for Magharebia in Rabat – 22/02/12

[AFP/NASA Earth Observatory] Residents of Morocco’s remote Atlas Mountains (pictured) could soon receive government assistance to deal with the harsh weather.

People living in remote regions of Morocco were hard hit this winter by an unprecedented cold snap, with some villages cut off from the rest of the country by snowfall. But residents could soon see assistance thanks to a programme run by the Mohammed V Foundation and the interior ministry.

Beni Mellal resident Hajja Fadma told Magharebia that during the 65 years of her life, she has seen women dying in childbirth and babies dying of cold and isolation because of a lack of assistance and chaotic driving conditions on the roads.

“The cold is so bad that we feel we’re going to die and there is little we can do to keep ourselves warm,” she said.

To address the situation, the Mohammed V Foundation allocated six million dirhams on to an assistance programme run with the interior ministry and the Royal Gendarmerie. Launched February 8th, the project aims to help those living in remote mountain villages in the Azilal-Beni Mellal region and elsewhere.

Farid Tanjaoui Jazouli, who is in charge of the foundation’s humanitarian department, said his organisation intends to reach all parts of the region, even those that are the most inaccessible.

The operation is aimed at 11,000 homes in a total of 154 villages. The homes will receive blankets and food to help people get through the winter.

Aicha Ait Haddou, a civil society campaigner in Azilal, said the initiative was excellent and was warmly welcomed by people caught up in the cold snap.

The new government has vowed to reduce the isolation of rural and mountain areas and consider sustainable solutions.

Abdelilah Benkirane’s team has allocated a billion dirhams to the Rural Development Fund – double the amount originally planned – for 2012. The prime minister has promised to speed up the construction of roads in rural areas and to provide basic services such as water, electricity, healthcare and schools.

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The government intends to continue with plans already under way while also creating a balance and harmony between programmes launched by different departments, according to Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Abdelaziz Rebbah. He pointed out that it was not just roads and transportation that needed to be put in place, but also healthcare services, education and human development.

“The climate is changing and these changes are becoming structural. We need to adopt a new strategy, especially for town planning, that takes account of the new climatic conditions,” the minister said.

Ahmed Itouna, an MP from the ruling Justice and Development Party (PJD), said that the efforts so far were inadequate and unfair due to a lack of objective criteria when the needs of different areas are assessed.

He explained that several areas were cut off permanently, and not just because of snow. “Some residents can’t get around because public transport vehicles can’t reach their villages,” he said. “It’s difficult for trucks carrying food to reach them and this has an impact on prices.”