Marruecos suspende la operación Paso del Estrecho de este año por el coronavirus
Morocco's Foreign Minister, Naser Burita, announced on Monday the suspension of Marhaba Operation due to the coronavirus. Every year, up to three million Moroccans cross Europe in their vehicles to reach southern Spain and from there to North Africa to spend summer holidays with their families. In 2019 there were up to 3,340,045 passengers and 760,215 vehicles. "The operation as it is known will not take place this year," Burita said at a parliamentary hearing. The minister defended that Moroccan emigrants will be able to return to their country of origin when the borders are open, for which there is not yet a date, and that a new mechanism will be prepared for the present circumstances.
The minister explained that Marhaba Operation, which every year enables thousands of Moroccan citizens to spend their summer holidays in their country of origin, requires preparations since April, as well as coordination between several countries and the intervention of several institutions, factors that have not been met this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Fernando Simon, the director of the Center for Coordination and Health Emergencies in Spain, said at a press conference that Morocco has done Spain a favor with this decision and thanked the Alaouite Kingdom for being so aware of the risks and that its authorities have been so prudent in taking this measure, which will prevent millions of people from other European countries from traveling through Spain.
Juanma Moreno, President of Andalusia, also pointed out Morocco's decision to be "sensible and prudent" on its Twitter account. "Andalusia will continue to collaborate so that any progress is made with full guarantees. The priority is to protect everyone's health," he wrote in his profile.
However, Burita has indicated that Moroccan emigrants living abroad will be able to return to their country of origin when the land, air and sea borders are opened, but has not specified a date for this opening. He also pointed out that these returns would be subject to the measures taken by the transit countries (in particular Spain and Italy) and to the epidemiological situation in Morocco and internationally.
In addition, certain requirements will be imposed on travellers, such as the obligation to undergo individual confinement for nine days and the performance of two tests at the beginning and end of the isolation. In addition, the minister offered details on the repatriation of its nationals trapped abroad three months ago following the closure of borders.
After a first phase of repatriation to bring back Moroccans from the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla and from Algeria, Burita explained that from 15 May until this week 3,157 Moroccans were repatriated, essentially trapped in Spain and Turkey. The minister added that this operation will be accelerated from this week to organise 30 trips from 17 countries.