Remittances Keep Bouarfa’s Economy Afloat, with 23 Money-Transfer Outlets in the City

In this city in Figuig province, money-transfer agencies occupy an important place. Damane Cash, Western Union, Cash Plus, MoneyGram and Chaabi Cash: these brands are multiplying across the Oriental region, even in small towns. In Bouarfa, 23 establishments specialising in these transactions were counted in a report by journalist Pierre Daum for Le Monde diplomatique, published in November 2026.

This presence reflects the economic weight of Moroccans living abroad. Saddik Kabbouri, a former Arabic and philosophy teacher in Bouarfa, describes a city whose residents now rely largely on money sent by relatives who have settled abroad. As cross-border commercial activity has gradually disappeared, these transfers have become hugely important in families’ daily lives.

The Oriental is among the Moroccan regions most dependent on this income. According to an opinion by the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE), reported in March 2023, the region received 25% of remittances sent by MREs to Morocco, ahead of Casablanca-Settat (17%) and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (13%).

Remittances cover everyday expenses, as well as housing construction. In Bouarfa, some construction workers work on houses belonging to Moroccans living abroad. Some owners are from the second generation, born in Europe and holding dual nationality. Their investments provide work for local tradespeople and small businesses.

Businesses struggle to survive without money from MREs

The plight of small business owners reflects Bouarfa’s economic difficulties. Brahim, who owns a modest barbershop, charges 20 dirhams for a haircut and sees only two to four clients a day. His friend Mohamed, a butcher in the neighbourhood, remembers when trade with Algeria allowed residents to make a living from livestock commerce.

Jobs remain scarce. The municipality hires a few young people to clean the streets, while others find work in construction. Winter stays by wealthy visitors from the United Arab Emirates also provide seasonal jobs. Domestic staff can then earn 150 dirhams a day, compared with 70 dirhams outside this period.

Bouarfa once enjoyed a period of significant industrial activity thanks to manganese mining. The city had a rail link that carried the ore to Oujda and the Mediterranean coast. The gradual depletion of the deposits, followed by the decline in trade with Algeria, profoundly changed its economy.

On Bladi.net : MRE Diaspora Investment Morocco Economy Growth Strategy

Money from MREs is therefore now one of the main pillars of the local economy. Nationally, remittances exceeded 122 billion dirhams in 2025. In May 2026, the Moroccan government urged expatriates to invest more in projects that create jobs and wealth, beyond the financial support they provide to their families. This is particularly important for cities in the Oriental, where construction projects and family remittances account for an essential share of economic activity.