Political Leaders: Morocco Needs to Accelerate National Vaccination Campaign

Rabat- Morocco’s Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch addressed on January 31 the need to accelerate the national vaccination to reach herd immunity.

Joining Akhannouch, Morocco’s Minister of Interior Abdelouafi Laftit, Minister of Health Khaled Ait Taleb, and leaders of political parties represented in the Moroccan parliament reviewed the country’s epidemiological situation.

The political parties represented in the meeting included the National Rally of Independents (RNI), Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), Istiqlal Party, Socialist Union of the Popular Forces (USFP), Popular Movement (MP), Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS), Constitutional Union (UC), Justice and Development Party (PJD), Democratic and Social Movement (MDS), Front of Democratic Forces (FFD), Unified Socialist Party (PSU), and the National Ittihadi Congress(CNI).

Representatives of the parties welcomed the government’s decision to reopen borders on February 7, stressing that Moroccans have to take the third shot and respect COVID-19 preventive measures to maintain the country’s largely successful management of the pandemic.

The leaders also welcomed the launch of construction works at the Recipharm vaccine plant. The new industrial unit “will contribute to securing the vaccine sovereignty of the Kingdom [of Morocco] and of the entire African continent,” the statement said, adding that it “will make Morocco … a biotechnological hub capable of securing the continent’s sanitary needs in the short and long term.”

Additionally, the political leaders agreed to continue raising awareness about the need for complete vaccination among the unvaccinated and vaccinated populations to accelerate the pace of the campaign, achieve herd immunity, and “return to normal life.”

The governmental decision regarding border reopening was strongly welcomed by operators in the tourism sector, flag carriers, and Moroccans within and outside Moroccan territories.

While the government has yet to announce information about travel requirements to access Morocco, Royal Air Maroc, Air France, Transavia, and Binter have all declared that they will resume international flights to and from Morocco on February 7.