COVID-19 - Morocco Master Thread

[TheWarden]

The EU's removal of Morocco from its list is only advisory and its up to member states to make their own decisions.

It also has no effect on EU Citizens and family members leaving Morocco for the EU or holders of residency in the EU according to L’Economiste.

Yesterday a new decree was passed to speed up the process of fines for non compliance with wearing of facemasks etc. Thursday saw the redeployment of the Army in Tangier to help enforce lock down measures.

Its a certainty that post Eid will see increased numbers of cases, not helped by the mass exodus from the 8 cities which were placed back into lockdown a couple of weeks ago.

Special Flights and Ferries remain in service but what will happen after Monday is still uncertain.

[Tim Cullis]

Originally Posted by TheWarden

The EU's removal of Morocco from its list is only advisory and its up to member states to make their own decisions.

One constant factor during this pandemic is the lack of specific detail in various announcements, however I believe that you may have that statement the wrong way round.

Individual EU counties have the ability (as Spain has consistently demonstrated) not to allow travellers from countries deemed safe by the EU, but this decision was, after all, taken by a meeting of EU ambassadors, not the faceless EU bureaucratic machine and I don't believe individual countries have the ability to allow travellers from countries deemed unsafe.

Otherwise, potentially infected individuals would be able to enter the Schengen zone through the loophole and then travel where they like, unhindered.

[TheWarden]

The EU's list is only guideline, not mandatory, made the same way as the previous list that Spain chose not to follow

https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-he...-idUKKCN2532PP

[Tim Cullis]

"The list serves as a guideline rather than a rule for the EU’s 27 members, with the idea that no EU country would open its borders to countries not on the list."

So it isn't backed by legislation, but the net effect as far as Morocco is concerned is the same; EU countries are expected to abide by it and are highly unlikely to allow other than carefully controlled repatriation flights from Morocco.

[lbendel]

Anybody here also have a bike stranded in Morocco ? I've managed to catch a flight back in March but my bike is still stuck in Merzouga.


If it opens between October and December then I'm game for a ride down South into the desert (which was the plan to start with).



Laurent

[Chris Scott]

Just got a message from someone telling me Morocco is open.

Seem's like he's right, at least for fly-ins.

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/202...enter-morocco/

[Tim Cullis]

Heard about it earlier but it was said to be business travellers with an invite on a Moroccan company letterhead.

[barrier911]

Originally Posted by Tim Cullis

Heard about it earlier but it was said to be business travellers with an invite on a Moroccan company letterhead.

https://mobile.telquel.ma/2020/09/06...qM66K6RI4XYdtg

Tourists now as well.

[TheWarden]

Its still very limited. Only via the special flights operated by RAM, Air France and Air Arabia, for people who don't need a visa and only with negative COVID tests dated within 48 hours of departure.

Its not clear what a "Hotel Reservation" means, eg does an AirBnB booking count or is it just hotels, whether once there you can stay in several hotels or just one.

There are also a lot of regional travel restrictions in place needing permits from the Moroccan authorities to move about in country, from today travel in and out of Mrirt and Khenifra is prohibited.

I wouldn't rush to book just at the moment but it gives scope for those with vehicles still in country to retrieve them, if you're prepared for it not being straight forward and either returning via Sete or Genoa or waiting for a place on a Spanish Repat ferry

[Chris Scott]

I also read the 'business travellers' as something else (another MWN article, in fact).

I am told this morning by the rental place I work with:

Effectively the govt has opened frontiers to tourists (with special flights) but Casa had gone back to lockdown. The situation is tricky but we are on the right path.

It's said they decide on the SoE extension on Wednesday 9th, and with current rises and lockdowns, some expect it to remain.

[TheWarden]

Looking at the last few months and the increasing numbers of cases, I think its a certainty the SoE will be extended again. The lockdowns in Casa, Mrirt etc in the last few days need to powers of the SoE to be implemented.

I think the best outcome this week is some news on the borders closures. Moroccan tourist businesses are getting some support through to December but if they don't start thinking about the border and 2021 soon they'll have a bad spring season for Tourism imho.

Both travellers and the tourist businesses need some info to plan for the future

[Tim Cullis]

I've come across a formal government communication referring to a decision on 4 September that confirms the basic arrangements and asks that the news is communicated to external bodies. Letter in French: http://www.morocco-knowledgebase.net/tim/cs4135.jpg

But this doesn't answer any of the questions posed above by TheWarden.

The Covid tests required by RAM within 48 hours of flying will be impossible to obtain in many countries. A spokesperson for CNT (representing the whole of the tourism sector) is quoted as saying, "Our first foreign market remains France, which has recently offered a free test, the deadlines for results have increased with the explosion in demand, from 48 hours to 5 days. In other words, French tourists wishing to come to Morocco will not be able to present results, within the valid deadline, to the Moroccan authorities who ask for a maximum of 48 hours. So, in practice, if this opening of borders to foreigners with reservations is done without explanations, it will not be of much use because it will have no real impact on tourism and hotel activity in Morocco."

There's a government meeting today to discuss a draft decree extending the state of emergency past 10 September.

In the meantime, Minister of Health Khalid Ait Taleb expressed concern over the weekend that Morocco risks being overwhelmed with Covid-19 cases, saying "drastic measures are necessary, otherwise the situation may get out of control in the days to come". In addition, there's a worrying report from Morocco World News expressing concern at the capability of the hospitals and testing centres to handle the number of new cases, see https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/202...ng-in-morocco/

[TheWarden]

SOE extended until the 10th October as expected

French friends resident in Morocco and recently returned had no issues with obtaining tests for their flight. A couple of other contacts are flying out soon to retrieve vehicle left behind earlier in the year. It'll be interesting to see how they get on.

[Chris Scott]

Yes it will.
Flying out on 'special' RAM flights or EazyJet cheapies?

[TheWarden]

RAM,

Easyjet don't have permission to fly, only RAM, Air Arabia, Air France and Trasavia at the moment.

News from some one who flew in yesterday was a temp check and show booking details on arrival but nobody checked for a return plane ticket