War in Ukraine: Morocco mobilizes to evacuate its nationals
Relatives of Moroccans currently in Ukraine gather in front of the headquarters of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Rabat, on February 25, 2022. AFP - FADEL SENNA
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The countries of the continent are mobilizing to evacuate their nationals from Ukraine and repatriate them to their countries.
Example, three flights from Warsaw and Bucharest landed this Wednesday, March 2 in Casablanca.
Morocco got down to the task very early on, even before the invasion of Ukraine.
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From diplomatic sources, it is estimated that in the space of two weeks, nearly 7,000 Moroccan nationals left the country, ie the majority of them.
Their number there was estimated at between 10,000 and 12,000. On February 12, 12 days before the invasion of Ukraine, the Moroccan embassy in Kiev recommended that its nationals leave the country.
Some of them, who had problems with papers, had asked the embassy to be able to return to the country.
Moroccan diplomacy then came to their aid by notably setting up flights at preferential rates from Ukraine.
In a few days, nearly 3,000 Moroccans manage to join the kingdom from either Ukraine or other countries such as Turkey.
But this evacuation operation changes dimension from February 24 and the invasion of the country by Russia.
Embassies mobilized
Rabat then mobilizes its diplomatic and consular apparatus.
Staff is sent as reinforcements to Eastern Europe, the Moroccan embassies in Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia are mobilized.
Ambassadors go to border posts to speed up evacuations.
They ask the neighboring countries of Ukraine to facilitate the movement of their nationals.
As a result, according to diplomatic sources, it is estimated that 4,000 Moroccans managed to flee Ukraine in less than a week.
They are mostly students.
The latter will have the opportunity to return to their country.
Royal Air Maroc intends to multiply flights at preferential rates from Eastern Europe in the coming days.
►Also read: Tunisian students organize to leave Ukraine at war
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