The center initially dedicated to consular affairs turned to the assistance of Moroccans abroad and the management of the Covid-19, underlined Bourita in a statement to MAP after a meeting of the Commission of Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Islamic Affairs and Moroccan Expatriates in the House of Representatives.

He said in this regard that more than 22,000 Moroccans stranded abroad so far have contacted the various diplomatic representations of the Kingdom.

The services of the ministry took charge of the accommodation costs of 3,844 people, the costs of medical consultations for 147 others, the extension of visas and the regularization of the situation for a number of Moroccan nationals. Emphasis is also placed on the continuity of consular services in these circumstances marked by the spread of the coronavirus, said the minister.

Bourita highlighted the crucial importance of local, and not centralized communication, to all Moroccans abroad.

The ministry will put online on its portal the contacts of each consul in order to facilitate communication with the people concerned in a framework of responsibility and mutual respect, in addition to the call center and monitoring units.

The minister stressed that since the border closure decision on March 15, "no one has been allowed to enter Morocco, because such a measure required firm and rigorous handling".

Similarly, the return of Moroccans stranded abroad must be part of the strengthening of the important achievements made by the Kingdom in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus.

The return of Moroccans stranded after the temporary border closure, as part of the preventive measures taken by the Kingdom, "should be another proof of the success of the Moroccan approach to crisis management", he said.