In a back alley in the Moroccan capital, the small household repair shop opened by Moctar Toure since escaping conflict in his native Côte d’Ivoire is doing a brisk business.
At the gates of Europe, Morocco has long been a transit point for migrants from sub-Saharan Africalooking to make the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean.
But tighter immigration controls and economic malaise in Europe have made the kingdom a destination in its own right for many.
In spite of the challenges that living in Morocco poses for migrants, Toure wants to stay permanently and got his legal papers last year.
“In the beginning it wasn’t difficult… it was impossible,” said the Ivorian, who migrated to Morocco nine years ago.
For several years after his arrival he relied on whatever odd jobs came up.
Toure struggled with a family to support, and it was only when he received his residency permit that he was able to secure a regular income.
With the help of local refugee agency Amapp, he got a roof over his head and rented a small space where he started his shop a few months ago in a working-class neighbourhood of Rabat.
Toure has even managed to employ a fellow Ivorian to meet demand from customers, most of whom are locals.
Although he is still working to integrate with society, “to return to Côte d’Ivoire would be something abnormal”, he said.
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Article by Zakaria Choukrallah for AFP
Photo Credits: Reuters