Moroccans are still stranded in China amid the country’s COVID-19 containment and the Kingdom’s decision to halt traveler passage with the country, calling on the Kingdom to review their decision and open the air borders.
Despite China’s containment of the COVID-19 pandemic, the decision taken by the Moroccan authorities in early January to prevent those coming from China from entering Moroccan territory is still valid.
This causes dismay among a number of Moroccans, whether living in China or those who went to visit their relatives or for work, to find themselves stuck there.
For Moroccans residing in China, the decision put them in a number of problems, as those who wish to return to Morocco must first go to another country and spend a whole week there, before resuming the return trip to the Kingdom, which entails incurring significant financial expenses.
Amal Elbobkari, a Moroccan student in China told Hespress EN about her experience in the country, describing the difficulty of keeping up with travel expenses. “I’m among many of my peers who have been stuck here and can’t afford anything besides a direct flight home.”
Elbobkari explained how she found herself “stuck” China, saying she had a week off of school, which wasn’t enough time for her to fly back home to see her family, so she chose to stay.
“Some of my friends spent their money to spend at least a week in Qatar or Egypt, before returning to Morocco. Due to the high prices of hotel accommodations, some of us students are here and will wait for another opening in the future, because all we can afford is a direct flight.”
She told Hespress EN about contacting the Moroccan embassy in China, where the embassy did not confirm any information regarding reopening borders, and that any official decision will be announced once confirmed.
Abdullah, a Moroccan resident in China who spoke to Hespress EN said that Chinese authorities completely contained the latest COVID-19 outbreak, so life returned to normal.
The Moroccan resident, who traveled back to China in December for work, considers that “the decision is not valid anymore,” and it should be expected to change shortly.
Most countries since the surge of the pandemic later last year required travelers to provide a negative test made within 48 hours, such as the European Union and the USA, while other countries like India go up to 72 hours. Some even require a valid vaccination pass to allow travelers into the country.
Morocco has taken some of the strictest measures, banning entry outright for all travelers from China, a country that recorded contamination waves past a global slowdown of COVID-19 spread.
The ban took effect on January 3 and is set to last until further notice, “in order to avoid a new wave of contaminations in Morocco and all its consequences,” Morocco’s foreign ministry said.
The Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained the decision to prevent all travelers coming from China, regardless of their nationality, from entering the national territory, saying the measure aims to avoid Morocco a new wave of infection and all its repercussions, after the Kingdom managed to limit contamination.
Hespress EN contacted the Moroccan Embassy in Beijing to inquire about the matter, but the diplomatic mission is refraining from speaking on the ban, pending an official decision from the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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