Morocco sends 8 million masks to 15 African countries

Morocco has began shipment of 8 million masks and other medical supplies to help 15 African countries in their efforts to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, as instructed directly by Moroccan King Mohammed VI.

The aid also includes 900,000 visors, 600,000 hygiene caps, 60,000 medical coats, 30,000 litres of hydroalcoholic gel, 75,000 packs of chloroquine and 15,000 packs of Azithromycin, two drugs used for the treatment of Covid-19

The aid will be shipped to Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Comoros, Congo, Eswatini, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Tanzania, Chad and Zambia, according to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The medical gears and products are made in Morocco in line with World Health Organization standards and are donated as a gesture of solidarity following an initiative launched by King Mohammed VI to promote joint African action to counter Covid-19 outbreak.

The initiative aims, inter alia, to promoting the sharing of best practices in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and bolstering cooperation to mitigate the health, economic and social impacts of the pandemic.

This announcement comes just days after Morocco showed its desire to host the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which will be built in the future under the auspices of the African Union.

The kingdom has multiplied diplomatic initiatives and investments in recent years in Africa.