Morocco has been under a state of emergency since March 20.
Rabat – Morocco’s government decided on Thursday to extend the state of emergency for one more month, until August 10.
Moroccan officials made the decision during a meeting of the government council.
The fourth extension comes one day before the scheduled July 10 end of the state of emergency, after Morocco announced a third extension on June 10.
The spokesperson of the Moroccan government, Saaid Amzazi, announced the news after the government council meeting, saying that the government approved draft decree 02.20.426. Minister of the Interior Abdelouafi Laftit submitted the draft decree to extend the validity of the state of emergency throughout the national territory to tackle the spread of COVID-19.
The state of emergency extension will run from tomorrow until August 10 at 6 p.m.
Morocco has been under a state of emergency since March 20, after an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
The decision to impose the state of emergency was accompanied by a nationwide lockdown and strict preventive measures.
Starting in late June, Morocco’s government started its gradual lockdown lifting strategy. The strategy now applies to most Moroccan provinces and prefectures, based on local epidemiological circumstances.
The government has long expressed satisfaction with the effectiveness of the state of emergency and lockdown in enabling the country to keep the public health crisis under control.
On June 10, Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani said Morocco’s government managed to “avoid the worst” through its proactive approach to combat the pandemic.
Although lockdown relaxation has been implemented since late June, El Othmani acknowledged that confinement remains the only effective solution to curb the pandemic amid the lack of a vaccine or efficient treatment.
The “controlled” epidemiological situation is the main reason the government decided to start easing up lockdown measures, El Othmani clarified.
