Mr. Bourita, who was answering oral questions on the "Marhaba" operation, said that preparations for this operation began on May 3, at a meeting of the national transit commission, chaired by the Ministry of Interior.

Coordination with Spain began on May 17, when the joint Moroccan-Spanish commission in charge of the transit operation was set up, said Mr. Bourita, adding that the two parties are working on issues relating to fluidity, traffic, support, communication and health monitoring.

Noting that the Marhaba operation is unique of its kind and requires certain measures to be guaranteed, the Minister maintained that changes, both at international level and concerning the Moroccan community abroad, have meant that the organization of this operation takes place all year round, recalling that this was emphasized in the Royal Speech of August 20.

The organization of this operation encounters certain difficulties that we try to overcome from year to year, he said, highlighting the solidity of the ties uniting the Moroccan community established abroad with the mother country.

He also recalled that last year saw 3 million MREs enter the country, an increase of 4pc over 2019, describing the "Marhaba" operation last year as exceptional.

In response to oral questions on the quality of consular services, Mr. Bourita pointed out that his department is working to bring consular services closer to Moroccans living abroad, through the creation of 4 to 5 consulates a year.

As part of the optimization of their services, the Kingdom's consulates in various countries around the world are working to strengthen direct contact with Moroccans living abroad, to create mobile consulates for greater proximity and to improve consular division, said the Minister, in response to oral questions on the quality of consular services.

Mr. Bourita also emphasized that the improvement of these services also involves the creation of an electronic portal, a "unified consular guide" and a multilingual call center, mentioning, in the same vein, the remote management of consular fees and the improvement of appointment booking services.

These services are being stepped up during Operation Marhaba, which aims to support the Moroccan community living abroad in accessing the Kingdom and returning to their host countries, he noted.

As part of its commitment to extending consular services, the Minister added, the Kingdom maintains a permanent presence in its consulates on Saturdays and Sundays, and is working to extend the consular network in Africa and the United States, taking account of the interests of Moroccans living abroad when drafting legislation. In this respect, he pointed to the possibility of reopening the Tripoli and Benghazi consulates in Libya next summer.

In response to an oral question from the Rassemblement National des Indépendants group on "strengthening economic diplomacy", the Minister said that his department organized a total of 172 trade missions to and from Morocco during 2022.

The ministry also helped organize 150 economic forums and sectoral exhibitions, and 145 trade liaison operations for Moroccan and foreign investors, said the minister.

In addition, the Ministry has acted as mediator between Moroccan and foreign operators, with a view to resolving 51 commercial disputes, he stressed.

The department's role is also reflected in the signing of 95 economic agreements, noted Mr. Bourita, pointing out that Morocco currently has a total of 1,400 economic agreements covering areas such as investment and trade, all of which are tools made available to Moroccan economic operators.

Economic diplomacy is an important component of the Kingdom's foreign policy, as outlined by HM King Mohammed VI, he stressed, pointing out that Morocco's strength lies in its diplomatic network, comprising 105 embassies and 57 consulates, which helps to promote the "Label Maroc" and the Kingdom's assets and potential.