Ceuta’s Economy Plummets: 82% Drop in Imports Amid Border Closure and Pandemic

In 2020, the economic situation of the city of Ceuta has completely deteriorated, with a 92% regression in its foreign imports. Yet in 2019, imports stood at 114 million euros compared to 19 million euros in 2020, according to the autonomous government of Ceuta. This amount had however reached 500 million euros in 2012, according to the Spanish press.

This drop is not only linked to the health crisis, but also to the closure of the Bab Sebta border and the suspension of informal trade since the end of August 2019. This situation has mainly paralyzed the warehouses of La Madraba next to the border and the port of Ceuta, reports L’Économiste.

The most affected products are food and cosmetic products from the informal "Trabando" trade, shoes, electrical and electronic appliances, and textiles, particularly the "Manta". The automotive and spare parts sector is also affected, weakening the economy of the mechanics garages whose main mission is to bring cars into Ceuta and take them out after changing various parts, particularly tires. The closure of the border has also caused the sudden disappearance of several shops including perfumeries, boutiques and others that used to depend on Moroccan tourists.