-ALGERIA’S COMMITMENT TO AFRICA IS POLISHED IN HISTORY:
May 25th, Africa Day, commemorates the founding of the organization of the African Unity in 1963 where the headquarters in Addis Ababa- Ethiopia.
Africa has always been in the heart of Algeria, a long history full of solidarity, common struggle, defense of just causes of the continent, supporting the right of peoples to freedom from South Africa to self-determination in Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa.
Algeria continues honoring its engagements and commitments for Africa , as confirmed by President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa (09/02/2020): “reaffirm Algeria’s deep and continuous adherence to the ideal values of our continental organization and to its principles and objectives; a commitment that finds its origins in the extent to which Algeria’s African dimension is deeply rooted, emanating from its geographical location and polished in its ancient history. ”
-ALGERIA, A LEADING ROLE IN ESTABLISHING PEACE AND COMBATING TERRORISM IN THE CONTINENT:
Algeria plays a leading role in combating terrorism, violent extremism and organized crime on the African continent, which has enabled it to host two important institutions of the African Union, which support the capacities of African countries in addressing these phenomena: the African Center for Studies and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) and the Union Mechanism. African Cooperation in the Field of Police (AFRIPOL).
It also hosts in Tamanrasset the “Joint Operational Staff Command Committee” (CEMOC) consisting of Algeria, Mauritania, Mali and Niger, as a mechanism for military and security cooperation between these countries, based mainly on their military capabilities and their own abilities in combating terrorism in the region.
It also contributes to combating terrorism, extremism and organized crime on the continent through the active role of the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, in his capacity as “Coordinator of the African Union on preventing and combating terrorism and violent extremism.
– DEEPENING SOLIDARITY AND ACHIEVING DEVELOPMENT:
Algeria is keen to deepen African solidarity, the President of the Republic decided in 2023 to allocate 1 billion USD to support development projects on the continent. Providing humanitarian aid to many countries, especially in the Saharan Sahel region, as well as offering 2500 of university scholarships to African students annually.
Algeria was one of the pioneers of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in 2001, which included the vision of the African Union for the economic and social development of the African continent, focusing on combating poverty and strengthening the capabilities of the continent’s countries in the field of human development.
On the occasion of the meeting of the Steering Committee of Heads of State and Government of the African Union Development Agency (NEPAD) – 13/02/2024, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune affirmed Algeria’s commitment to achieving the goals of economic development and African continental integration, especially by improving infrastructure and improving regional networks of production and trade by strengthening capacities of productivity and continued efforts to enhance the role of the industrial sector and engage in global value-added chains, by stimulating the diversification of African industries, while working to accelerate the implementation of the Continental Free Trade Agreement.
The President of the Republic called for “the necessity of further mobilizing human, technical and financial resources in order to implement the pioneering continental projects of Africa’s development agenda for the year 2063,” and for “strengthening efforts to achieve continental integration, including working to accelerate the implementation of the Continental Free Trade Agreement.”
Within the framework of supporting the NEPAD initiative and Algeria’s contribution to promoting good governance at the regional and continental levels, the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadgid Tebboune, chairing the African Peer Evaluation Mechanism since 07/02/2024 for two years, confirming that Algeria “has always believed in the values, principles and objectives of this African mechanism, we still trust to work in order to consolidate it in the political, economic and social structure of our continent.”
-ALGERIA HAS HUGE POTENTIAL, THE GATEWAY TO AFRICA:
In 2017, Pakistan launched the “Looking at Africa Initiative-Policy”, with the aim of developing cooperation relations with Africa, in parallel with the promotion of political relations and diplomacy, which was embodied in reaching 20 Pakistani embassies on the continent. Pakistan is currently in a new phase entitled (engaging Africa), which will open new horizons for further prosperity. It gives a strong impetus to the Pakistani-African relations in various fields. To note that actually there is 13 African embassies in Islamabad.
Within the framework of Pakistan’s African policy, Algeria can be represented as a pivotal country and a bridge of communication and strategic cooperation with the continent, also considered as the largest country in Africa and the Arab and Mediterranean regions with an area estimated at 2,381,741 km2, it is in the middle of the world, linking north Africa to Europe across the Mediterranean.
Algeria, with its important strategic location, significant economic potential, and natural wealth, and its strong political ties with African countries and Pakistan, represents a solid base to move towards the continent to promote partnership and trade exchange, especially as it is an active and influential country in the African Union and a member of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement- AFCFTA). Algeria has a strong commitment to enhancing partnership and trade between African countries, and supporting South-South cooperation.
– ALGERIA: TOWARDS REGIONAL AND CONTINENTAL INTEGRATION:
Algeria working to strengthen and expand the policy of continental and regional integration through a huge structural projects; such as the road trans-Saharan, which is about 10,000 km long with a main axis to Nigeria through Niger and branches connecting Algeria, Tunisia, Mali and Niger and Chad, thus constituting a catalyst and accelerator for economic integration, as it extends over three African regions. (North, West, Center). Rest only 1800 km to achieve.
Algeria took the initiative to work with Mauritania to build a road linking the Algerian and Mauritania from Tindouf to Zouerate, at a distance of 800 km, thus connecting Algeria to West Africa. Note that Mauritania and Senegal had begun the construction, in November 2022, of the (Rosso) bridge connecting the two countries and North Africa to West Africa.
It is also keen to complete the trans-Saharan gas pipeline linking northern Algeria to Lagos 5,000 km via Niger, to export Nigerian gas to Europe, along with the fiber network line, which will connect Algeria, Mali, Niger and Mauritania, as it will allow the development of the economy and achieving a qualitative leap in all fields.
Algeria is linked to many African countries by air transport lines, as: Tunisia, Egypt, Mauritania, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, Cameroun, Ethiopia and South Africa. It has also launched commercial sea lines to Mauritania and Senegal, and soon other lines such as Côte d’Ivoire to enhance the trade exchange with West African countries.
In recent years, Algeria has become a center of African attraction, activity and interaction in the field of investment, trade and emerging and small enterprises, as it hosted the last two editions of the Africa Investment and Trade Forum under the slogan “Africa’s Gateway to Industry, Agriculture and Trade” 2023-2024 which were organized by the Arab-African Investment Center and development (CAAID). With the aim of enhancing opportunities for partnership and cooperation with the African continent in various fields, and with emphasis on accelerating the completion of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA).
In the context of Algeria’s efforts to achieve regional economic integration, 5 free zones for trade exchange will be established between Algeria and Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Tunisia and Libya. Note that Algeria has organized several exhibitions in West African countries, such as Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal, during the last two years. In 2023, it opened two permanent exhibitions and two banks in Mauritania and Senegal to facilitate the exchanging trade.
Aiming to achieve an integrated economic vision in the continent, and a strategy to enhance the participation of African youth in development programs and the development of technology and modern industries, Algeria organized in 2022 and 2023 the African Conference for Emerging Enterprises in order to establish an institution for African funds for emerging enterprises and empowering officials and actors in government policies in the field, having knowledge on development sectors in Africa, exchanging experiences and expertise, and signing cooperation agreements in this sector.
In December 2023, Algeria organized the first summit of African ministers in charge of emerging enterprises, with participation of 34 countries, in order to study ways of cooperation to develop this sector on the continent, foster African innovation, and prepare a unified African strategy to retain African competencies and talents within the continent.
-MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE AND HUGE ECONOMIC WEALTH:
Algeria, led by the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune from December 2019, is working to restore its prominent role in the international arena through an efficient diplomatic apparatus by strengthening its bilateral and multilateral relations, diversifying cooperation and partnerships with various countries.
Algeria promotes international peace and security, serving African, Arab and Islamic interests, supporting causes of justice in the world, pleading for a new international, multiple, balanced, solidary and tolerant order.
Algeria has rich material and human resources and a modern infrastructure, being ranked as the Fourth in Africa, after South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria, evidently with a gross national product of about 245 billion USD in 2023, with a rate of growth 4.1%, Foreign Currency Reserves 69 billion USD, Exterior Debt less than 01 billion USD, the annual budget in 2024 evaluated to 110 billion USD, with huge investments Algeria expect to achieve 400 billion USD in 2026-2027.
To underline that Algeria is the tenth in the continent in terms of population, with only 46 million, the majority of whom are under 30 years old, has 36 commercial airport, 11 seaports, 63 universities, 48 graduate schools, and 200,000 university graduates annually.
At the African level, Algeria is the first in gas production (103 billion m3 annually) the tenth in the world, reserve (4.5 trillion m3), third in oil production (1 million barrels per day) and in reserves (12 billion barrels). It also has great mining wealth, the largest iron mines such as Gara Djebilat – Tindouf, with reserves of 3.5 billion tons, with a production capacity of 40 to 50 million tons of iron Crude, and among the world’s largest reserves of phosphate (2.8 billion tons) with a production capacity of 10 million tons per year. In addition to gold, zinc, copper, marble, nickel, lithium and other energies which are renewable as the sun shines more than 3000 hours annually. It also produces more than 40 million tons of cement, with an export capacity of 18 million tons.
Algeria also has a road network, the second in Africa, with more than 140,000 km, and a railway network connects the entire national territory to the southern border, and will reach 6,300 km soon. In the same context of the project to develop the railway transport network across the entire national territory, which is a project that Algeria has embarked on, especially towards the southern regions, where this network can extend to neighboring countries according to the same integration perspective.
Algeria’s land is fertile for all types of agriculture; in the north, center and south, full of various agricultural products, which covers 75% of the national needs, as well as 1,600 km of beaches on the Mediterranean, being rich in marine resources.
Algeria is an energy country par excellence, where energy prices are competitive and very low, which provides comfort for citizens, reduces the cost of production and encourages investment; natural gas: 0.21 to 0.40, Euros/electricity: 0.1 to 0.4 euros/hundred kilowatts/hour, gasoline: 0.30 euros/liter, Diesel: 0.17 euros/liter.
-A NEW INVESTMENT LAW, WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND GUARANTEES:
The Algeria brings economic reforms according to the international standards, activating production mechanisms, economic governance and transparent management by generalizing digitization in all sectors. As well as updating the laws regulating the economy and finance, investment and trade; as in 2023 new (law for money and credit) which was adopted to strengthen the independence of the Central Bank, encouraging foreign investment and facilitating the movement of capital funds.
A new investment law was also adopted in 2022, offering privileges and guarantees essential for both national and foreign companies and entrepreneurs, an unchangeable law for a period of 10 years to ensure the stability of the investment legal system. This law also exceeded a rule 49% for foreigners, compared to 51% for nationals, by granting foreigners the right to invest in all sectors 100%, except for limited strategic sectors.
The law includes the creation of an “Algerian Agency for the Promotion of Investment”, the investment registration and follow-up process takes place during a period of achievement through the “digital platform of the single window” for major and foreign investments, which coordinate with the diplomatic and consular representations, to accompany investors for the implementation of all related procedures of ongoing projects.
The Investment Law offers important tax and customs exemptions and concessions, ranging from 3 years to 7 and 10 years, for investments included in the “Sector System” in the areas of activities: this includes mines and quarries, agriculture, aquaculture and fishing, industry and food industry, pharmaceutical and petrochemical industry, services and tourism, new energies and renewable energies, knowledge economy and information and communication technologies.
For investments within “Regions System” in the sites belonging to the high plateaus, the south and the great south require private escort from the state, which possesses a potential of valuable natural resources.
It also includes investments under the “Structured System” that has a high ability to create wealth and more job opportunities, as well as raise the attractiveness of the region and be a driving force for sustainable development.
Algeria has become an attractive pole for investment, One and half years of the Agency establishment, we have registered 2000 projects, with an approximated value of more than 7 billion USD, including 100 foreign projects. To be noted, there are some mega projects proposed from Asian and European countries, with an estimated value of 6 billion USD/each, in different sectors as: energy and mines, industry, agriculture.
