How would you assess the existing level of maturity of capital markets in Algeria? SAHBANI: The market’s current grade of maturity reflects the volume of business opportunities that the country has to offer: an abundance of untapped potential. Capital markets are an emerging financing option that is currently stimulated by the government, representing many possible upsides for the country’s…
Interview:Abdelwahab Ziani What are the main challenges ahead in Algeria’s drive towards food self-sufficiency? ABDELWAHAB ZIANI: The way to full self-sufficiency is challenging, but some key steps can be taken to be self-sufficient in certain products quickly. We need to have better exchange of trade know-how between producers in the north and south of Africa, and create logistics clusters…
Interview:Abdelghani Zalene How do you expect public spending to evolve in the sectors overseen by your ministry? ABDELGHANI ZALENE: The country’s current economic juncture is conditioned by low oil prices. This shock has been absorbed thanks to infrastructure projects realised through development plans. Our approach is to maintain efforts to rationalise public spending through tighter controls…
Interview:Rabah Guessoum What are the ambitions of GICA in terms of growing its production capacity over the coming years? RABAH GUESSOUM: Total production today exceeds 12.5m tonnes of cement per year, which represents 55% of the Algerian market. To meet the growing demand, an ambitious development programme is under way to strengthen production capacities and diversify the product range for…
Interview:Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour What is Sonatrach’s investment plan in terms of exploration and production for the years to 2022? ABDELMOUMEN OULD KADDOUR: Sonatrach aims to strengthen Algeria’s energy potential, and fulfil the needs of national and international markets. Sonatrach’s medium-term plan for development outlines total investments of $56bn, of which $44bn will be dedicated…
Interview:Tobias Becker What are the main challenges to improving energy efficiency in African markets? TOBIAS BECKER: In quite a number of African countries, electricity fees do not accurately represent production costs. This is not a strong incentive to improve energy efficiency, which is a shame. The current level of affordability is preventing players from investing in more sophisticated…
Viewpoint:Mokhtar Hasbellaoui Since its independence Algeria has experienced significant socio-economic development. Efforts in the health sector led to an increase in life expectancy, rising to 77 years in 2016 from 50 in 1962. Several projects in 2017 mobilised the country in terms of demographic evolution and societal dynamism, including making accessible specialised treatment in nephrology…
Interview:Samy Laghouati What are some of the significant implications of the Investment Law decrees from March 2017? SAMY LAGHOUATI: The new Investment Law removed a number of constraints and uncertainties from the previous law on investments, issued in 2001, which has been significantly amended since 2009. The previous law is another manifestation of the authorities’ attempt to help ease…
Interview:Samir Hadj Ali Algerian investment law, under its reframed policy published in August 2016, is deemed to be a general frame of legislation, the purpose of which is to define the general policy of investment for both foreign and local investors. Among the key changes made to the investment law was the removal of the pre-emption right and the limitation of stakes imposed on foreign investors,…
Since the oil price drop in 2014, Algeria has faced the challenge of maintaining the essentials of its economic and social systems in the context of drying liquidity. Our strategy is to boost resilience against external shocks, with a key focus of 2017 being to stabilise the Algerian dinar. A flexible currency rate has enabled us to absorb the shock of the oil price drop. In July the country’s…
