Fez – As some Moroccans are stranded abroad because of the border closures, national and international carriers are operating special flights to repatriate them.
The first repatriation flights will begin on December 16 from Turkey, marking the kick-off of a well-spirited bridging between Morocco and several countries. The next flights will take place on December 18 from Portugal to Morocco. The exact dates of flights from the United Arab Emirates will be announced later by authorities.
National media outlet Le360 said that both national and international companies will take part in these repatriation operations.
The families of those who will be repatriated are anxious about which cities they will be held in for a period of confinement. Moroccan authorities have chosen five major cities: Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, Marrakech, and Agadir, according to the same sources.
The decision, according to the same report, is based on two major factors, which go beyond the quality of the airport infrastructure in these cities. These locations provide good hotel capacities and also have adequate health infrastructure in case contamination occurs. Other cities, like Rabat or Oujda, may join the list.
Read also: ‘Maakoum’ Initiative To Help Moroccans Stranded in Turkey, Saudi Arabia
Moroccan authorities have decided to extend flight bans until further notice. An initial suspension of flights to and from Morocco was announced on November 29 for two weeks as part of its campaign against COVID-19.
The suspension of flights is part of Morocco’s efforts to prevent any case of Omicron variant from getting into the country and to preserve the achievement the country has accumulated in the face of the pandemic. The Ministry of Health further urged citizens to take all necessary precautions, stressing that Morocco is not immune to a new COVID-19 outbreak.
More limitations have also been suggested by health specialists, who warn that the government cannot allow the new strain to enter its borders due to a lack of data on the strain.
