Morocco Debates Total Lockdown as COVID-19 Cases Surge

No consensus around the debate on the total re-confinement of the kingdom. The multiple warnings of the Head of Government, Saâdeddine El Otmani based on reports from the scientific commission and experts from the Ministry of Health have apparently served no purpose. During a session in Parliament, he had stated that if the Covid-19 pandemic continued to rise, total re-confinement would be inevitable. Except that consensus is difficult to find.

This situation suits the Minister of Commerce, Moulay Hafid Elalamy, reports Assabah. "Thank God, there is no harmony between the ministers because, otherwise, the Minister of Health would have imposed a total confinement on us which would have been a disaster for the economy of our country," he said. During the discussion of the budget of his department within the commission of the productive sectors, the minister expressed his opposition to a total confinement. According to him, this decision would lead to a severe economic recession and extreme impoverishment of households.