Resilient Growth in Morocco and Stagnation in Tunisia
The Maghreb—particularly Morocco and Tunisia—is a significant market for Transuniverse Forwarding. Our company is one of the market leaders in groupage transport to and from these two countries. In this article, we discuss the economic developments in both nations and outline our service offerings for exporters and importers.
A Flourishing Economy in Morocco
The Moroccan economy is expected to grow by 3.5% this year, with further growth of 4% forecasted for 2025. These positive prospects confirm the upward trend from 2023, when GDP increased by 3.4% despite global uncertainties, rising inflation, and the impact of the Al-Haouz earthquake.
The current and anticipated growth is largely driven by increasing investments and strong exports. Inflation, which stood at 6.1% in 2023, is expected to decrease to 2.3%, strengthening consumer purchasing power and supporting further economic growth.
“The Moroccan economy is thriving due to strong industrial exports, a tourism rebound, and stable macroeconomic government policies,” says Theo Timmerman, Sales Manager Maghreb at Transuniverse. “Foreign investments continue to rise, particularly in manufacturing industries like the automotive sector, and in new industrial niches such as aerospace.”
Challenges remain, however. While household consumption is recovering, it has only just returned to pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, the agricultural sector continues to struggle, partly due to droughts.
Tunisia’s Economy Remains Vulnerable
On the other hand, Tunisia’s economy shows signs of vulnerability. Last year’s growth was only 1.9%, with a slight increase to 2.1% expected this year. Economists predict a growth rate of 2.9% for 2025. Although this is improvement, it is not enough to give the country a strong boost.
The labor market has seen modest improvement, with unemployment decreasing to 16%. Youth unemployment, however, remains a concern, rising to 41%. At the same time, inflation has fallen to 7% due to strict monetary policy.
The economic signals are mixed. Industrial investments are declining, and the number of new businesses is stagnating. However, there are positive developments, such as a reduction in the trade deficit and a slight increase in exports. “In the textile sector, for example, some Belgian clothing companies are shifting production from the Far East to Tunisia due to the flexibility and quality offered by Tunisian producers. Tunisia has also become more appealing as labor costs rise in Eastern Europe,” Theo explains.
In the medium term, Tunisia’s outlook remains uncertain due to high debt levels, social tensions from the high cost of living, and persistently high interest rates. Positive signs include improved governance of state-owned enterprises, better financial management, and a more favorable business climate.
Traffic Growth, Including to and from Tunisia
“We’re clearly seeing the growth of the Moroccan economy in our transport volumes,” says Theo. “Demand for Belgian products remains strong, but we’re now also seeing an increase in exports of industrial goods from Morocco. This has brought more balance to the transport flows compared to a few years ago, resulting in higher departure frequencies. Approximately six trucks leave for Morocco each week from Belgium, now from Mouscron, with a similar number departing from France.”
In Casablanca, Transuniverse Maroc has its own facility for transshipment and temporary storage. For local distribution and customs clearance, we have long partnered with our reliable Moroccan partner JTTL/Transit Jalal, also based in Casablanca.
“Transport to and from Tunisia is also seeing slight growth, despite economic instability there. This is due not only to the rising export of clothing but also to the continued high demand for Belgian products in the niches where growth remains,” Theo adds.
“Despite fluctuations in demand, we offer around six weekly departures from Mouscron to Tunisia, with the option to supplement loads in France if needed,” he continues.
In Tunisia, Transuniverse has been working for many years with Avenir Service Transport (AST) in Radès (Tunis), one of the market leaders with a fleet of approximately 150 trucks. AST provides not only extensive distribution across the country but also handles customs formalities and, more recently, other logistics activities. The port of Radès is ideally located for these operations.