Algeria’s Port Ban on Morocco Risks Economic Backlash, Experts Warn

This decision will have a negative impact on the Algerian economy, says economist Badr Zaher Al Azraq in statements to Al3omk, explaining that it will lead to an increase in freight costs and inflation of food prices on the Algerian markets.

On the other hand, this decision will not affect the Moroccan ports which are connected to several global commercial destinations, says the economist, noting that this Algerian decision denotes a lack of long-term strategy and clear vision of the country which seeks to compete with Morocco.

Algerian diplomacy is more in reaction than in action, notes Badr Zaher Al Azraq, stressing that the decision in question is a reaction to Morocco’s initiative to connect the Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean in order to strengthen its trade exchanges with these countries.

The Moroccan approach has obviously irritated Algeria, which shares borders with the countries concerned, analyzes the economist, who notes that Algeria, unable to make a similar or better proposal, preferred to ban Moroccan ports to its economic operators.