The minister of foreign affairs promised Morocco is planning to repatriate all Moroccans stranded abroad.
Rabat – The embassy of Morocco in Tunis said on Thursday it has identified 292Moroccans stranded in Tunisia and has been assisting them.
The Moroccans had gone to Tunisia for a short stay, business, medical reasons, or a family visit.
Both the embassy and consulate in Tunisia have “taken care of all the people who expressed this need, especially in terms of living expenses and accommodation,” the statement added.
The embassy also met the requests of citizens who needed medical follow up and medications.
Concerns mounted after stranded tourists called on the government to repatriate them back to Morocco.
The situation led Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita to discuss the issue on April 23.
Bourita said Morocco is planning to repatriate all of its stranded citizens.
“Moroccans have the right to come home. It’s incontestable,” he said.
Bourita explained Morocco should repatriate citizens under the best conditions without causing risk to the country or repatriated citizens.
The repatriation process will take place gradually, in a well-organized way to protect the country from the COVID-19 pandemic, Bourita said.
Moroccan embassies across the world have mobilized their consulates to assist the estimated 22,000 Moroccans stranded due to the COVID-19 crisis.
The embassies have identified 341 deaths among Moroccans abroad due to COVID-19.
All of the deceased received Islamic funeral rites and were buried in Islamic cemeteries.
