Moroccan government to discuss reopening borders after two months of closure

Morocco to decide whether to open borders in the next two days

AFP/FADEL SENNA - File photo, a group of Moroccan nationals in Spain due to the coronavirus crisis, not allowed to cross into their country for not having their papers in order, on 22 May 2020, in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta

Updated: 12/05/23

The Moroccan government said today that the debate will continue in these two days to take the appropriate decision on the opening of the borders, closed since 29 November in a measure in force until the 31st of this month, as a prevention against the spread of COVID-19 and its variant Omicron.

"This issue (opening of borders) has been discussed in the Governing Council today, and the debate will continue in these two days to take the appropriate decision," government spokesman Mustafa Baytas said today at the weekly press conference following the meeting of the Executive Council.

Baytas stressed that his government is discussing the opening of borders "seriously" and "from different perspectives" taking into consideration the indicators of the epidemiological situation, as well as the social, economic and psychological impact of the measure.

In addition, the government today approved a decree for a further extension of the state of health emergency for another month until 28 February "to ensure the efficiency of the measures taken by the Moroccan authorities" against the spread of the pandemic.

The Moroccan foreign minister, Naser Burita, told parliament on Monday that his government's objective is to open the borders, but that to do so, "all guarantees" must first be given to ensure the health of travellers and Moroccans themselves.

Several health experts have in recent days recommended the opening of borders, and internet users have launched hashtags on social networks these days "#ouvrezlesfrontièresduMaroc" to call for their opening.

Travel agency owners organised two protests yesterday in Rabat and Marrakech to denounce the impact of the border closure on their business.

In addition, dozens of Moroccans - trapped abroad - have been unable to return to their country after the closure of the border last November because they could not return on the special repatriation flights organised by the Moroccan authorities at the time.

In the past 24 hours, a total of 7,002 COVID-19 infections and 36 deaths have been recorded in the country, with a positivity rate of 24.43% in a country where more than 23 million Moroccans are immunised with two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine (out of a total population of 36 million).