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Weekly highlights

Truckers in the Sahel region

A journey fraught with danger

T HE disappearance of four
Moroccan truck drivers
between the towns of Dori
in Burkina Faso and Téra
in Niger, in a kidnapping blamed on
terrorist groups, has lifted the veil
on the risks incurred by road hau-
lage professionals attempting to link
Morocco to its African depths. (see
L’Economiste No.6932 of January
21, 2025).
Two professional sources have
confirmed to L’Economiste the re-
lease of the four truckers, stressing
that their vehicles have not yet been
found. At the time of going to press,
no official announcement had been
made concerning the release of the
four drivers. Overall, Moroccan
truckers regularly cross dangerous Professionals report that an average of 1,450 Moroccan trucks circulate in this region every year.
zones on their way to African mar- fertilizers, prepared and preserved for electricity. The Secretary of State African countries that exports to the
kets. Moroccan exports to sub-Sa- fish and shellfish, fresh, salted, dried for Foreign Trade had announced, in continent reached around 32.7 billion
haran countries continue to grow.,” and smoked fish, as well as wires, response to an oral question in Par- dirhams (USD 3.27 billion) in 2023,
Mauritania is the main destination cables and other insulated conductors liament, on strengthening trade with recording 100% growth compared
for our trucks”, explains El Charki to 2013. Omar Hejira added that
Hachmi, Secretary General of the Between 50 and 80 trucks pass through the Kingdom has additional export
Moroccan Union of Transport Pro- capacity of up to 120 billion dirhams
fessionals ( Union marocaine des Guerguerat every day (USD 12 billion), of which 10% (or
professionnels du transport), himself 12 billion dirhams (USD 1.2 billion))
a truck driver with a 27-year career. MOROCCAN truckers depart from several points in the country. would be destined for the African
Other destinations include Senegal, “We leave from the towns of Dakhla, Boujdour and Lâayoune in the sou- continent. The Moroccan Union of
Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Côte thern provinces, from Agadir, Casablanca, Berrechid, Meknes, Moulay Transport Professionals ( Union ma-
d’Ivoire. Asian products also des- Bousselham, and other places...”, explains El Charki Hachmi, adding that rocaine des professionnels du trans-
tined for sub-Saharan countries In all truckers pass through the Guerguerat border zone, in the extreme south- port) adds that vegetables, notably
2023, Moroccan exports to Africa west of the country. He adds that more than half of the Kingdom’s exports potatoes and onions, citrus fruits,
amounted to 32.61 billion dirhams to the continent leave by truck. The journey varies according to destination, poultry feed, and fertilized eggs are
(USD 3.26 billion), according to the but on average lasts between 10 and 30 days. The cost of the journey also also exported. Mustapha el Karkou-
annual foreign trade report issued by varies according to supply and demand. For the Agadir-Nouakchott route, ri, General Secretary of the Natio-
the Foreign Exchange Office, Office the price varies between 28,000 and 38,000 dirhams (USD 3,800). The Se- nal Road Transport Union (Syndi-
des Changes, ODC). This pales in cretary General of the Moroccan Union of Transport Professionals (Union cat National du Transport Routier),
comparison with exports to Europe, marocaine des professionnels du transport) explains that an average of told L’Economiste that truckers also
which totalled 308.72 billion dirhams 1,450 Moroccan trucks circulate every year in this region. Depending on transport products from Asia to sub-
(USD 30.87 billion). According to the season, between 50 and 80 trucks pass through the Guerguerat area Saharan countries. o
the ODC, Morocco’s main exports every day,” he adds.o Akram OUBACHIR
to Africa are natural and chemical

Dilapidated roads and armed groups

TRUCKERS operating in Africa face a variety of risks, some of them agonizing night that I wouldn’t wish on anyone,” he says. On April 01,
life-threatening. While the Kingdom has succeeded in developing its road 2023, two Moroccan cyclists had been kidnapped by “armed elements” on
infrastructure, other countries on the continent still have a long way to go. the border between Burkina Faso and Niger, with the Kingdom managing
After passing through the Guerguerat border zone, drivers are confronted to secure their release a month later. The regional branches of the Islamic
with “impassable” roads and “dilapidated roads” which have a negative State and of al-Qaeda have recently expanded their activities in the Sahel,
effect on bodywork. Truckers also face attacks from armed groups. With a region disrupted by military coups and socio-economic and se0curity
several photos to back it up, a driver recounts in a Facebook post in a problems.
group dedicated to professionals in the sector: “ On January 5, 2024, at In an attempt to combat insurgencies, some governments in the region
around 9pm, in Gogui, on the border between Mauritania and Mali, we have replaced security partnerships with Western countries with private
saw red fireworks going up into the sky, it was far away. groups, notably Russia’s Africa Corps, successor to the paramilitary group,
A little later, it hit right in the middle of the stations we were at. All the Wagner. According to the United Nations, terrorism and organized crime
drivers fled, leaving their belongings and open trucks behind.” “It was an perpetrated by militias constitute a “pervasive threat” in the Sahel.o
Friday 24 January 2025