Algeria-Morocco Relationships: Political Cold, Economic Warmth!

Political differences between Algeria and Morocco are noticed due to the recent tense relationships, because of the Mekhzen comments on the Western Sahara issue, but the trade between the two countries is growing despite the closed borders, adding a kind of warmth to the tense atmosphere among politicians, and this is confirmed by the recent economic figures.

An official report that was published by Moroccan media on Friday revealed that Rabat increased the volume of its imports of hydrocarbons, fuel products and chemicals from Algeria in the past two years.

Hespress website said that the Moroccan companies that are operating in the industrial sector of chemicals and hydrocarbons continue to import raw materials, refined and processed from the eastern neighbor of the Kingdom.

In terms of figures, companies that are operating in fertilizers industry imported 172,000 tons of ammonia over the last three years, with a total value of more than DH 560 million, which is equivalent to 59 million US dollars.

The same data that was released by the Moroccan government revealed that Rabat imported over 46,000 tons of ammonia in 2015, worth DH 208 million, or $21 million, to reach 80.000 tons in 2016, worth DH 192 million, or $20 million, and stabilizes at a level of 47.000 tons last year, worth DH 150 million, worth $15 million.

According to the report, Morocco imported more than DH 520 million ($ 54 million) of electricity from Algeria, which was acquired through the electric grid that is linking the two countries across the eastern border of the Kingdom.

The figures indicate that Rabat imported about DH 132 million of electricity in 2015, or $13 million, which increased by about 48% in the next year, and the value of what the Kingdom imported from this energy reached about DH 201 million, to reach DH 189 million during the previous year, or $19 million.

Moroccan companies that are operating in the distribution of gas, gasoline and other oil derivatives from the eastern neighbor imported about 5.8 million tons of hydrocarbons between 2015 and 2017, with a total value of nearly DH 17 billion, or $1.7 billion.

Morocco continued to import Algerian oil derivatives after the suspension of the Lassamir Refinery, and the total imports of these products in 2016 amounted to about DH 6 billion, which is equivalent to $600 million, and more than DH 4.6 billion last year, or $400 million.