Nearly 130,000 French tourists stranded abroad are seeking to return home, said Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on France Info on Friday March 20. "We want them to return to the national territory. We ask for composure and patience," he added, adding that it will be up to them to pay for their return ticket.
The Quai d'Orsay has called on French tourists to register on Ariane, a system that lists French people traveling abroad. "With this device, we can reach them and we have set up with Air France and the Ministry of Transport a device to ensure that everyone can return home," explained Jean-Yves Le Drian.
The Minister clarified that it would be decided on a case-by-case basis if these French returnees would be placed in isolation or not to limit the risks of the spread of the coronavirus.
Jean-Yves Le Drian urged the more than 3.5 million long-term French expatriates to stay where they are. He said that 17,000 people had already been repatriated from Morocco since Friday March 13, out of the 20,000 people stranded in this North African country.
No more flights between Tunisia and France after Friday
For his part, the French Ambassador to Tunisia, Olivier Poivre d'Arvor, launched an appeal to all those residing in France to leave Tunisian territory by Friday evening March 20 at the latest.
"No more flights will serve France from Tunisia from this date. The last repatriation flights are planned from Tunis and Djerba," he said.
Mechanism set up with Air France
Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the establishment of "a mechanism to allow nationals who wish to return home in France by air in connection with Air France depending on local priorities and emergencies". This mechanism "will allow everyone to book a return ticket with a company," added Jean-Yves Le Drian in a joint statement with the Minister of the Interior and the Secretary of State for Transport.
The Quai d'Orsay has taken steps to "prevent speculation on tickets." "We have made sure with Air France that prices are frozen at cost." However, the cost of additional days on site will be borne by individuals. "They will have to play their insurance for the reimbursement of costs," said the minister on France Info.
In France, cases and deaths of coronavirus patients are increasing by 40% every day. More than 11,000 people are officially contaminated and 372 have died, forcing the government to put in place confinement measures for its 67 million citizens.
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