فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
The “Marhaba 2025” operation, organized by the Kingdom of Morocco to welcome members of the Moroccan diaspora, has seen a record turnout up to August 4th of this year, with the latest official figures revealing the arrival of no less than 2,789,197 members of the community, marking an increase of 10.37% compared to the same period in 2024. Omar Moussa Abdellah, Head of Projects and Supervisor of the “Marhaba” operation at the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, confirmed in a media statement that these figures debunk rumors that had been circulating about a decline in turnout, affirming that the operation is proceeding with great success and under ideal conditions at all levels.
The high turnout was not limited to individuals alone but also included vehicles, with the number of cars entering the national territory since the launch of the operation on June 10th and until August 4th reaching 838,360, also registering an increase of nearly 3.74%. Regarding the distribution of this influx across the various border crossings, the Port of Tangier Med stood out as the main entry point, having alone welcomed 555,753 members of the community and 175,808 vehicles, representing 35.87% of the total arrivals via seaports and land crossings. On the air front, Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca maintained its leading position by receiving 320,395 community members, equivalent to 25% of all air arrivals.
As part of the efforts to facilitate the return of diaspora members and provide all means of comfort, the teams from the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, deployed at the various crossing points and rest areas, provided a total of 45,465 social, medical, and administrative services, which included 2,858 medical consultations. These services, according to the same official, included the emergency medical transport of about 50 cases to hospitals and assistance to over 800 travelers from the community whose vehicles had broken down or who found themselves in difficult situations, reflecting the scale of the humanitarian efforts being made to ensure a safe and comfortable journey.
Looking ahead to the upcoming phase, which sees the return of community members to their countries of residence, Omar Moussa Abdellah explained that the Foundation’s teams, in coordination with all partners and stakeholders in the “Marhaba 2025” operation, are mobilized to ensure this phase proceeds smoothly in terms of organization and support.
On his part, Jaafar Ameyer, Director of the Tangier Med passenger port, affirmed that this infrastructure constitutes “the main gateway for members of the Moroccan community to enter the country,” noting that the number of passengers and vehicles arriving at the port as part of the “Marhaba 2025” operation has recorded growth of 6% and 4% respectively. To ensure the smooth flow of traffic, he added that the port authorities, in collaboration with other stakeholders, have implemented a set of practical measures to reduce the time taken for border and customs procedures, thanks to the continuous mobilization of personnel from the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN), the Administration of Customs and Indirect Taxes (ADII), as well as local authorities.
To cope with the expected peak during the return period, a new measure was announced requiring travelers to have a ticket with a fixed date and time to access the port during the period from August 1st to August 31st. These measures, as the official explained, aim to regulate the flow of passengers and ensure smooth passage through the Tangier Med passenger port, taking into account the passenger capacity of the ships. Jaafar Ameyer called on travelers, especially members of the Moroccan diaspora, to confirm their maritime crossing times at the Tangier Med rest areas (at the entrance to the Tangier highway) or at the Ksar Sghir area, or via the applications, websites, and customer service numbers of the maritime companies before arriving at the port, urging them to plan their trips outside of peak hours, particularly on Saturdays, Sundays, and the last week of August.
