Belgium Unable to Repatriate All Citizens Stranded in Morocco Amid COVID-19 Crisis

The minister indicated that the FPS Foreign Affairs has organized and successfully repatriated more than 9,000 people, including 7,750 nationals, to Belgium since the beginning of the health crisis, one third of whom from Morocco via 47 flights. He also stressed that Europe has facilitated the repatriation of European citizens to their countries.

However, Philippe Goffin admitted that not all Belgians and Belgo-Moroccans stranded in various countries including Morocco will be able to return to the country. He recalled that the kingdom has authorized the repatriation of a few people on the basis of an agreement focused on humanitarian and social criteria. Thus, 3,050 people have been repatriated to Belgium via 7 flights; the first on March 18 and the last on May 15.

Furthermore, the minister assured that "repatriation operations will be continued on the basis of the same criteria and lists if we manage to obtain forced commercial flights".