Morocco reopens airspace starting February 7

CASABLANCA - Morocco will reopen its airspace for international flights starting February 7, the state news agency (MAP) reported on Thursday.

This decision comes in accordance with the legal provisions relating to the management of the state of health emergency and following the recommendations of the scientific and technical commission and taking into consideration the evolution of the epidemiological situation in the Kingdom, said the government in a statement.

To accompany the implementation of this decision, a technical committee is currently examining the measures to be adopted at border crossings and the conditions required for travellers, which will be announced later, said the same source.

Reiterating its appeal to citizens to continue the strict observance of all preventive measures and directives of public authorities on this matter, the government calls for taking quickly the planned doses and completing the vaccination scheme, including the third dose, as a behaviour reflecting the "national solidarity" to cope with this pandemic.

Morocco banned all inbound international passenger flights and closed its sea borders in November due to concerns over the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

The news came as a sigh of relief for the tourism sector which had been badly impacted by the repeated border closures since the coronavirus pandemic began in the North African kingdom.

The decision comes a day after workers in tourism industry held protests in several cities across Morocco to call for the reopening of the borders.