Morocco Examines Plans to Repatriate Citizens Stranded Abroad Due to COVID-19

The light at the end of the tunnel is not yet close for Moroccans stranded abroad following the restrictive measures taken by each government to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. While the majority of European countries have repatriated their nationals from Moroccan territory, the steps are still at an embryonic stage in the kingdom, despite the royal instructions for the success of this operation.

According to the minister in charge, in an interview with the newspaper Le Matin, the repatriation is being done progressively, taking into account the exceptional circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the involvement of the various stakeholders.

Pending this official date, various steps taken by her department with the compatriots blocked are underway. These include the establishment of a monitoring and crisis committee. For the minister, it aims to ensure the monitoring of the situation of Moroccans currently abroad, following the decision to close the borders of a number of countries, including Morocco, in order to fight the pandemic.

According to El Ouafi, her department has received about a hundred letters from Moroccans residing abroad. Several initiatives have been undertaken, including the medical care of the sick, in direct coordination with the local authorities and the regional health delegations, and the extension of deadlines to regularize the customs status of their vehicles, in consultation with the Customs and Indirect Taxes Administration.

The minister also addressed the issue of Moroccans who died abroad. According to her, her department has always ensured the repatriation of the remains of the deceased to Morocco, in close coordination with the diplomatic representations and consular posts of the kingdom abroad, as part of a support program for the most destitute Moroccans residing abroad and who do not have repatriation insurance for the remains.

"Due to the repercussions of the measures taken by various countries to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic at the national and international levels, we are currently unable to repatriate the remains of Moroccans who died abroad to be buried in Morocco," specifies the delegate minister in charge of Moroccans residing abroad.