A first batch of 264 Belgians stranded in Morocco as a result of the new coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic flew home on Friday, Foreign and Defence Minister Philippe Goffin (MR) announced on Saturday.
A second plane was scheduled to leave Casablanca on Saturday afternoon, while three other flights have been programmed for next week.
The humanitarian repatriation is being done in phases from Casablanca since other Moroccan airports are closed, the Foreign Ministry stated. Special buses have been organised to enable Belgians from elsewhere in Morocco to reach the town.
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The Belgian Embassy in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, was contacted by about 4,500 persons, including 3,400 Belgians, desirous of returning to Belgium. To qualify for voluntary repatriation, applicants had to be resident in Belgium and provide evidence of a humanitarian, medical or social need, Goffin explained.
The Moroccan authorities, who closed their air space over a month ago and imposed a curfew, agreed to the repatriations as long as those conditions were respected.
About 1,500 Belgians provided evidence that they satisfied the requirements, and that evidence was presented to the Moroccan authorities for approval, while some 1,200 Belgians returned home from Morocco in March.
The repatriations needed to be dealt with calmly and with mutual respect, the Foreign Ministry insisted, stressing that diplomacy falls with a legal framework and Belgium needs to respect international agreements.
Coronavirus: Belgian Pride 2020 cancelled
Friday, 15 May 2020
Credit: Jan Schaumont/The Belgian Pride
This year’s edition of the Belgian Pride Festival, an event which celebrates LGBTI+ people in Belgium, has been cancelled due to the coronavirus.
“A very difficult decision, but the only right one,” the organisation said in a press release. “Every year, we do everything we can to make The Belgian Pride Parade a success and build a more inclusive society,” it said, adding that too many factors remain uncertain to organise an event for more than 100,000 visitors with a full programme.
Initially, the Festival was planned to start on Friday 8 May, with the Parade through Brussels on Saturday 23 May as the highlight. However, the organisation decided to postpone the Parade to 29 August, because of the coronavirus.
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“We, of course, respect all measures necessary to safeguard the health of our population. We have examined whether the Belgian Pride Parade could take place in a fully-fledged way at an even later date, but taking into account all uncertain factors, we have decided that this is not the case,” they said.
Events within the framework of Pride will still happen this year, “but the big parade will not take place,” the organisation emphasised, adding that it will pull out all the stops to make sure 2021 will be a strong edition “with a parade and a varied programme in which there will be room for militant messages as well as a big party.”
Additionally, the organisation calls on everyone to take part in the digital Global Pride, which will be a 24-hour event, to which Belgium will also contribute.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
