Operation Marhaba 2026, supervised by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, concluded after more than three months of sustained mobilization, having welcomed 4,137,594 Moroccans living abroad — an increase of 1.8% compared with the 2025 edition.
Held under the effective presidency of HM King Mohammed VI, the operation ran from June 10 to September 15 and was marked by sustained humanitarian mobilization, strengthened coordination between the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity and various stakeholders, and controlled management of arrival and departure flows.
According to the Foundation’s assessment, passenger flows were handled without significant congestion, despite peak days recording nearly 80,000 arrivals and more than 87,000 departures.
To support these flows, particularly during the departure phase, an enhanced system was introduced, including fixed-date tickets, the development of traffic regulation areas, and assistance for passengers traveling by coach through the ports of Tanger Med and Algeciras, alongside awareness campaigns.
The Foundation mobilized substantial human and technical resources through its reception system, comprising a central coordination office, 1,134 social workers, and 236 doctors, paramedical staff and temporary personnel.
The system operated through 26 Marhaba reception areas in Morocco and abroad, covering the ports of Tanger Ville, Tanger Med, Nador and Al Hoceima, the Bab Sebta and Bab Melilia crossings, and the airports of Casablanca, Oujda, Tangier Ibn Battouta, Nador El Aroui, Marrakech, Agadir, Fez, Rabat-Salé, Laayoune and Dakhla. Abroad, six reception areas covered the European ports of Genoa in Italy; Sète and Marseille in France; and Motril, Almeria and Algeciras in Spain.
Humanitarian Assistance and Emergency Interventions
On the humanitarian front, 66,993 members of the Moroccan community received direct assistance from the Foundation. This included 14,089 interventions related to administrative, customs and legal procedures, and 787 cases involving transport assistance. The assessment also records 8,495 people who benefited from medical assistance, emergency first aid or hospitalization — including cases of polytrauma, lost documents, boarding difficulties and road accidents.
In July, Foundation teams assisted 25 victims of a coach accident involving a vehicle carrying 45 Moroccan expatriates arriving from Italy, which occurred on the Tangier-Kenitra motorway. Five seriously injured passengers were transferred to El Idrissi Provincial Hospital and monitored for 10 days, while transportation was arranged for the other passengers to continue their journey.
In August, the Foundation organized transportation for nearly 1,000 passengers in distress at the port of Algeciras, and provided boarding assistance to 25 vehicles belonging to Moroccan diaspora members traveling to Genoa after they were left at the quay due to a parking-space management issue aboard the vessel.
In September, Foundation teams assisted families who had traveled following the deaths of two relatives after their vehicle fell into the waters of the port of Algeciras, including support with administrative formalities and repatriation procedures.
‘No Major Incident’, Foundation Says
Omar Moussa Abdellah, project manager at the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, said the 2026 edition had proceeded under good conditions, citing strong mobilization from all stakeholders and Foundation teams deployed on the ground.
This mobilization, he said, made it possible to provide continuous, close-to-the-ground assistance to members of the Moroccan community living abroad. “In several emergency situations, the Foundation’s teams intervened rapidly to reassure families, guide them and facilitate the necessary procedures, enabling them to continue their journey”, he said.
The operation was conducted without any major incident, Moussa Abdellah added, attributing this to continuous team mobilization and coordination with stakeholders. He said operational efficiency helped ensure the continuity and quality of reception services during both the arrival and departure phases, and that this close presence on the ground, combined with mobilization and solidarity, gives Operation Marhaba its distinctive character.
- Source: MAP