Algeria-Senegal: New Maritime Trade Rekindles Maghreb’s Offensive in Sub-Saharan Africa

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Algeria-Senegal: New Maritime Trade Rekindles Maghreb’s Offensive in Sub-Saharan Africa

16 août 2022 13:42

The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) championed by the African Union might fully go effective but member countries are already positioning themselves to take strategic position in the African trade configuration. The more industrialized northern African countries (Maghreb) are making frantic efforts to capture the huge market in sub-Saharan Africa. Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt are in their different spheres pushing their trade agenda to different parts of Africa south of the Sahara. The recent maritime line launched between Algiers and Dakar speaks volumes to the new ambitions Maghreb countries have to carve out their various market interests in Africa. Through the new maritime route, Algeria is continuing to implement its plan to increase its trade outlets in Africa, particularly towards the west coast of the continent. A regular maritime link between Algeria and Senegal was opened on Sunday July 31, 2022. This new maritime service constitutes the extension of the Algiers-Nouakchott line launched at the end of February, which constituted a strategic position for Algeria to enter the West African market, given the proximity of Senegal and Mauritania. To reach the Senegalese coast, Algerian maritime expeditions will sail from the port of Djen Djen to the capital Algiers, and will make a stopover in Nouakchott before heading for Dakar, according to the explanations of Nadia Rabia, CEO of the Algerian transport group. Shipping (GATMA). This new route operates monthly connections with a ship named “Gouraya”, which for this first expedition was loaded at more than 85 per cent of its capacity, which is more than 7,000 tons of goods. The latter were made up of iron, cement, ceramics and paper, among other things, reports Abdeslem Bouab, CEO of the port of Djen Djen. The official recalled that the vast majority of trade is carried out by sea, a traffic which has recorded a remarkable increase. He added that 1,700 tons of white cement are ready to be transported to Dakar, during the next crossing, scheduled for September, welcoming the support of economic operators and their determination to access West African markets. Algeria...