RABAT, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Morocco’s trade deficit expanded by 1.5% to 209 billion dirhams ($21.6 bln) in 2019 compared with a year earlier, the foreign exchange regulator said on Wednesday. Total imports rose 2% to 491 billion dirhams, outstripping exports of 282 billion dirhams, which were 2.4% higher, the regulator said in its monthly report. Energy imports, including gas and oil, dropped 7.2% to 76.4 billion dirhams, or 15.6% of total imports. The automotive sector continued to top Morocco’s exports at 27.3% of all sales standing at 77.1 billion dirhams, up 6.6%. Remittances from Moroccans living abroad, which are important to Morocco’s hard currency flow, were stable at 64.8 billion dirhams.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 05, 2020 12:22 UTC