Over 18,000 Moroccans stranded abroad due to coronavirus lockdown

The ban on international passenger flights to contain the coronavirus has left 18,200 Moroccans stuck especially in Europe waiting to be repatriated by Moroccan authorities, a move which the minister in charge of expatriates said is not immediately insight.

Minister delegate to Moroccans living abroad Nezha El Ouafi said that the number does not include students with legal stay and accommodation abroad, noting that 40,000 Moroccan students are enrolled in French schools and universities alone.

“There is a coordination between different ministerial departments before repatriation and hasty decisions should be avoided,” she said reassuring that the return of Moroccans stuck abroad is a matter of time.

She said the consular services have provided accommodation to Moroccans and that the ministry of foreign affairs allocated 1 million dirhams to burials in Muslim cemeteries of Moroccans who lost their lives abroad.