Royal Activities
Tuesday 17 March 2020

Working session to monitor the management of the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in our country

Statement By Royal Office

Here follows a statement by the Royal Office:

"HM King Mohammed VI chaired, Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at the Royal Palace in Casablanca, a working session to monitor the management of the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in our country and to continue taking measures to face any developments.

This meeting is part of the continuous monitoring by HM the King of the evolution of this pandemic, from the start of its spread on a world scale and immediately after the appearance of the first cases on the national territory.

At the beginning of the meeting, HM the King was informed by the Minister of Health of the latest developments in the health situation in our country, the capacity of hospitals and health units in the different regions of the Kingdom and the measures taken to meet all needs in terms of health security, including disinfection products and medicines.

On the basis of the data presented by the Minister of Health, and given the concern of HM the King to raise the capacities of the national health system to face this pandemic, the Sovereign, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), gave His High Instructions to the Inspector General of the FAR, to put the equipped health facilities, whose creation had been ordered beforehand by the Sovereign in the various regions of the Kingdom for this purpose, at the disposal of the health system with all its components, if necessary.

This High Royal Initiative is part of the proactive approach that the Sovereign has ordered to adopt since the outbreak of this pandemic and the strengthening of unprecedented preventive measures taken by the involved sectors and institutions to limit its spread and to counter its health, economic and social consequences.

This meeting was an opportunity to review the stages of implementing the measures that have been taken pursuant to the High Directives from HM the King and which concern the closure of Moroccan air and maritime space to travelers, the cancellation of sports, cultural and artistic gatherings and events, the creation of a special fund for the Coronavirus pandemic management (Covid-19), the suspension of courses in schools and universities, the temporary closure of mosques, the suspension of the hearings in the various courts of the Kingdom, in addition to a series of measures taken by the competent authorities in the field of public transport and the closure of unnecessary public areas.

HM the King gave His directives to the competent authorities to ensure the proper application of efficient measures aimed at ensuring the supply of markets, throughout the national territory, with foodstuffs and hygiene and disinfection products, on a regular and permanent basis, and fight all forms of speculation and rising prices.

In the same context, HM the King gave his High Instructions to the Head of Government and all the departments concerned to take all the necessary measures, and to prepare for a new phase if necessary.

This meeting took place in the presence of Head of Government Saad Dine El Otmani, Minister of Interior Abdelouafi Laftit, Minister of Health Khalid Ait Taleb, Lieutenant General Abdelfattah El Ouarak, Inspector General of the FAR, Lieutenant General Mohamed Haramou, Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie and Director General of National Police, Director General of National Territorial Surveillance Abdellatif Hammouchi.''

MAP 17 March 2020