2020 in Morocco

Events in the year 2020 in Morocco.

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Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s 2030s
See also:	History of Morocco List of years in Morocco

Incumbents

• King: Mohammed VI
• President of the Government: Saadeddine Othmani

Events

See also: COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco

January

• January 24 – Several organizations in Ecuador express their support for the rights of the Sahrawi people.^[1]
• January 28 – February 7 – 2020 Africa Futsal Cup of Nations: Morocco was the defending champion and successfully managed to defend their title after beating Egypt 5–0 in the final.^{[citation needed]}

February

• February 9 – The African Union reaffirms its support for self-determination for the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.^[2]
• February 17 – Morocco tightens its control over the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla.^[3]
• February 22 to February 23: 2020 African Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament, Rabat.^{[citation needed]}
• February 29 – 2020 Marrakesh ePrix, Marrakesh.^{[citation needed]}

March

• March 2 – First confirmed case of coronavirus in the country.^{[citation needed]}
• March 10 – First death from coronavirus, a French tourist^[4]
• March 12 – At least 18 African countries, including Morocco, report cases of the novel coronavirus. Most are in single figures, but five deaths have been reported in North Africa.^[5]
• March 13 – The government shuts down all schools, effective March 16 until further notice.^[6]
• March 17 – Journalist and rights activist Omar Radi, 33, is given a four-month suspended sentence and a U $50 fine on charges of insulting a judge on Twitter, in a case that outrages advocates of free speech.^[7]
• March 19 – The country declares a state of medical emergency beginning on March 20, 2020 and remaining in effect until April 20, 2020 with the possibility of extending.^[8]

May

• May 14 – Algeria summons the country's ambassador to Algiers in protest against when the Moroccan consul in Oran purportedly referred to Algeria as an "enemy country."^[9]

June

• June 26 – The government of Morocco "categorically denies" an Amnesty International report that they used surveillance software to spy on the phone of a prominent journalist and human rights activist Omar Radi.^[10]

September

• September 4 – Dutch right-wing extremist and leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV), Geert Wilders is acquitted of a hate crime despite his "unnecessarily offensive" call in 2014 for "fewer Moroccans."^[11]

November

• November 15 – A 30-year cease-fire between Morocco and Polisario Front forces is broken as the government tries to open a road in the Guerguerat buffer zone near the border with Mauritania.^[12]

December

• December 11 – Morocco normalizes relations with Israel and in return U.S. President Trump acknowledges Morocco's sovereignty over the Western Sahara.^[13] The deal also includes US$1 billion in military aid.^[14]
• December 16 – Couscous is added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.^[15]
• December 17 – Moroccan Ayoub El Khazzani is sentenced to life in prison for planning the 2015 Thalys train attack in France.^[16]
• December 31 – Historian and human rights activist Maati Monjib is arrested for money laundering.^[17]

Deaths

January

• January 30 – Larbi Chebbak, footballer (b. 1946).^[18]

February

• February 24 – Mohamed El Hajjam [ar], journalist (b. 1956).^[19]

August

• August 8 – Naima El Bezaz, Moroccan-Dutch writer (b. 1974).^[20]
• August 24 – Touriya Jabrane, theatre director, actress and politician, former Minister of Culture (b. 1952).^[21]

September

• September 2 – Abdeljebbar Louzir, actor (b. 1928).^[22]

October

• October 19 – Ahmed Adghirni, 73, lawyer, politician, and human rights activist.^[23]
• October 25 – Abderrazak Afilal Alami Idrissi, 96–97, Moroccan economist and politician, MP (1977–1983).^[24]
• October 28 – Mohamed Melehi, 83, painter; COVID-19.^[25]

November

• November 9 – Bruno Barbey, 79, Moroccan-born French photographer.^[26]
• November 15 – Mahjoubi Aherdane, 99, politician, Minister of Defense (1961–1964).^[27]

December

• December 2 – Mohamed Abarhoun, 31, footballer (Moghreb Tétouan, Moreirense, national team); stomach cancer.^[28]
• December 15 – Noureddine Saïl, 73, film critic and writer; COVID-19.^[29]
• December 27 – Mohamed El Ouafa, 72, diplomat and politician; COVID-19.^[30]

See also

• Western Sahara
• Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
• International recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
• 2020 in North Africa
• COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
• 2020s in political history
• 2020s
• African Union
• Arab League

References

1. Western Sahara: Several Ecuadorian Organizations Reiterate Support for Right of Sahrawi People to Self-Determination allAfrica, 24 Jan 2020, retrieved 11 Feb 2020
2. Western Sahara: South African President Reiterates Support for Right of Sahrawi People to Self-Determination and Independence allAfrica, 11 Feb 2020
3. Morocco strangles Ceuta and Melilla, cutting borders to take advantage of Sánchez (in Spanish) El Español, 17 Feb 2020
4. MATIN, M. Se, LE. "Le Matin - Le Maroc annonce le premier cas de décès du nouveau coronavirus" [Morning - Morocco announces first case of death from new coronavirus]. Le Matin (in French). Retrieved 30 March 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
5. Coronavirus spreads to more African countries Al Jazeera, 12 March 2020
6. "Courses Suspended in Morocco from March 16 Until Further Notice". Maghreb Arabe Press. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
7. "Morocco sentences activist for criticising 'judiciary'". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
8. "COVID-19: Morocco Declares State of Emergency". Morocco World News. 2020-03-19. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
9. "Algeria summons Moroccan ambassador over 'enemy country' remark". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
10. "Moroccan authorities deny using spyware to monitor critics". ABC News. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
11. "Wilders, absuelto de incitar al odio al pedir "menos marroquíes" en Países Bajos". www.msn.com. EFE. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
12. Brennan, David (November 15, 2020). "Fighting in Morocco May Present Biden with Fresh Africa Crisis Amid COVID Surge". msn.com. Newsweek. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
13. LAVALLÉE, Guillaume (December 11, 2020). "Trump hace un regalo a Marruecos al reconocer su soberanía sobre el Sáhara Occidental". es-us.noticias.yahoo.com (in Spanish). Yahoo News. AFP. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
14. Zengerle, Patricia; Stone, Mike (December 11, 2020). "Exclusive-Trump administration moves forward with $1 billion Moroccan arms deal". news.yahoo.com. Yahoo News. Reuters. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
15. "UNESCO adds couscous to list of intangible world heritage". aljazeera.com. Al Jazeera English. December 16, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
16. "French court jails Moroccan for life over foiled 2015 train attack". msn.com. AFP. December 17, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
17. "Morocco detains rights activist for alleged money laundering". AP NEWS. 31 December 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
18. Football: L'ancien joueur de la sélection nationale, Larbi Chebbak, n'est plus (in French)
19. Béni Mellal : Le journaliste Mohamed El Hajjam tire sa révérence (in French)
20. Nieuws: Naima El Bezaz (1974 – 2020) overleden (in Dutch)
21. الفنانة المغربية ثريا جبران في ذمة الله عن 68 عاما (in Arabic)
22. Iconic Moroccan Actor Abdeljabbar Louzir Dies at 92
23. Décès de Ahmed Adghirni, figure du mouvement amazigh au Maroc (in French)
24. النقابي البارز عبد الرزاق أفيلال يرحل إلى دار البقاء (in Arabic)
25. Moroccan painter Mohamed Melehi succumbs to covid-19
26. Mort de Bruno Barbey, figure de l'âge d'or du photojournalisme (in French)
27. Iconic Moroccan Political Leader Mahjoubi Aherdan Dies at 100
28. Mohamed Abarhoun, 31 yaşında hayatını kaybetti (in Turkish)
29. ناقد مغربي : نور الدين الصايل عراب السينما المغربية (in Arabic)
30. محمد الوفا في ذمة الله (in Arabic)