King Mohammed VI Oversees Developments in COVID-19 Action Plan

Rabat – King Mohammed VI presided over a working session today, March 17, devoted to following up on the preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19 in Morocco.

During the meeting, Minister of Health Khalid Ait Taleb updated the King on the latest developments on the health situation in Morocco, detailing the capacity of hospitals and health units and their ability to face the epidemic.

King Mohammed VI subsequently instructed the Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) to install equipped medical centers throughout the country at the disposal of the Ministry of Health.

The royal initiative comes in line with the Moroccan government’s unprecedented preventive measures to limit the spread of the virus and face its economic and social repercussions.

The meeting also analyzed the progress in implementing precautionary measures, including the suspension of all international flights and maritime travel, the cancellation of all events and public gatherings, the suspension of schools and universities, and the temporary closure of mosques and courts.

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The measures also entailed the disinfection of public areas and public transport in addition to the closure of nonessential establishments such as cafes and restaurants.

King Mohammed VI called on the country’s top officials to ensure the regular and continuous supply of all markets with food and sanitary supplies and to fight various forms of monopolies and price increases.

The King also instructed the head of the government and all sectors concerned to take all required measures and prepare to enter a new phase of the COVID-19 outbreak, if necessary.

The meeting joined the head of Government, Saad Eddine El Othmani; Minister of Interior Abdel-Wafi Laftit; Minister of Health, Khaled Ait Talib; FAR general inspector; Abdelfettah Louarak; Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, Mohamed Haramo; and the Director-General of the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) Abdellatif Hammouchi.

On March 15, King Mohammed VI ordered the creation of a special fund worth over $1 billion to mitigate the social and economic effects of COVID-19. 

Institutions, banks, and members of the government quickly followed suit.

Morocco’s OCP Group granted $310 million to the Special Fund for the Management and Response to COVID-19, vowing to mobilize its human and financial capabilities to assist the government’s efforts to overcome the COVID-19 crisis.

Afriquia Gas contributed $103.5 million, while the National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) donated $113.9 million. 

Bank of Africa, owned by Moroccan billionaire Othman Benjelloun, decided to allocate its profit from the first quarter of 2020 as a contribution to the special fund. 

Read also: Injections into Morocco’s COVID-19 Fund, Billionaires’ Aid Surpasses MAD 10 billion

Government members such as Minister of Industry Hafid Elalamy and Minister of Agriculture Aziz Akhannouch each contributed millions of dollars. 

Government officials, members of the House of Councilors, and members of the House of Representatives also announced in a statement that they will contribute to the fund with their monthly wages. 

With the same sense of patriotism and solidarity, and by their own initiative, the 22 heads of Morocco’s public and private universities announced their donation of one month’s salary to the benefit of the Special Fund for the Management and Response to COVID-19.

All officials, general managers, and managers in the energy, minerals, and environment sectors also decided to contribute to the fund.