Embassy of Algeria in Canada

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Embassy of Algeria in Canada
General Presentation on Algeria and
Economic Perspectives
By Ambassador Smail
Benamara
Prince Edward Island Charlottetown
May 27th, 2009.
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1- Geography

• Location Algeria is located in northwestern
  Africa, in the heart of the Arab World, the
  African Continent and the Mediterranean region.

• Size Algeria has an area of almost 2.4 million
  square kilometers (1.24274 mi). It is the second
  largest in Africa.

• Population 34.4 million (January 2008 est.)

• Languages Arabic (official), Berber (national)

• Land Boundaries Algeria has huge territory with
  a desert zone and a population living in the
  countrys Northern part as opposed to Canada
  where the population lives in the countrys
  Southern part but the icy desert in the North.

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• Time Zone Algerias time zone is Central
  European Time (Greenwich Mean Time plus 1 hour).

MAP OF ALGERIA
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2- History
Algeria has a history of more than 2000 years
full of good periods but also periods where the
territory was conquered contributing at the same
time in fostering the peoples determination for
freedom and in taking advantage of various
cultural and civilization contributions.

• Therefore, there is the Berber period with
  Jughurta. Until the reign of Jugurtha's
  grandfather Masinissa, the people of Numidia were
  semi-nomadic and indistinguishable. Masinissa
  established a kingdom (roughly equivalent to
  modern northern Algeria) and became a Roman ally
  in 206 BC.

The expansion of Islam occurred
afterwards in North Africa contributing through
the population going to build the the Islamic
civilization in Andalucia (currently Spain).
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• In the contemporary history, the French
  colonization lasted for 130 years and had led to
  Algerias independence following a war from 1954
  to 1962.

• Independence Day 5 July 1962

• Algerias National Day 1 November 1954
  (Revolution day)

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Algerian Liberation War
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• Executive branch

Head of state President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA

The head of state is the President of Algeria,
who is elected to a five-year term. President
Bouteflika was elected last April for a five-year
term.
The Algerian parliament is bicameral, consisting
of a lower chamber, the National People's
Assembly (APN), with 380 members and an upper
chamber, the Council Of Nation, with 144 members.
The APN is elected every five years.
A multiparty system with number of political
parties represented in the Parliament. In the
90s, Algeria has witnessed a period of
terrorism that is now over.
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Peoples National Assembly
President's Office (Presidency)
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Photo Gallery of Algerias beautiful landscape
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Tassili region in Southern Algeria
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Mountains in Tizi-Ouzou region
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Coastal side of Bejaia region
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Chréa mountains
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Small villages in Tizi-Ouzou mountains
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Hoggar region in Southen Algeria
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Hoggar region in Southen Algeria
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Hoggar region in Southen Algeria
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Hoggar region in Southen Algeria
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Roman Ruins in Algeria
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City of Algiers
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City of Oran
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City of Annaba
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City of Constantine
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Basilica of St Augustin - Annaba
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The Santa Cruz fort in Oran.
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Notre Dame d'Afrique, Basilica of Algiers
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The Big Mosque of Algiers
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Constantine outfit
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Tlemcen outfit
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Algiers outfit
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Kabyle outfit
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Algerian Handicrafts
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by Baya
by Omar Racim
by M'hamed Issiakhem
by Farid Benyaya
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Economic Perspectives
The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the
economy, accounting for roughly 60 of budget
revenues, 30 of GDP, and over 95 of export
earnings. Algeria has the eighth-largest reserves
of natural gas in the world and is the
fourth-largest gas exporter it ranks 15th in oil
reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent
years have helped improve Algeria's financial and
macroeconomic indicators.

• Key Economic indicators

Here are some key economic indicators that are
signs of a healthy economy and also of a serious
growth and development policy

• GDP (official rate) 171.3 billion (2008 est.)

• Unemployment rate 12.9 (2008 est.)

• Inflation rate 3.6 (2008 est.)

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• Debt-external 2.913 billion (31 December 2008
  est.) The external debt is derisory because
  Algeria has decided in 2007 to reimburse by
  anticipation its external debt.

• Financial Reserves of the Central Bank of
  Algeria 150.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Ministry of Finance
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ALGERIAS VARIOUS PROGRAMS OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT

• 1- The important five-year program 2005 2009

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has decided to
promote a Complementary Growth Support Plan,
which sets aside 150 billion US Dollars for
development spending between 2005 and 2009. This
plan aimed at improving living conditions,
upgrading the countrys infrastructures,
improving the business environment and
rebalancing regional development.
The major projects to be carried out during this
four years are the huge projects of the
construction of 1 million housing unit, a 1200-km
highway line from the Moroccan to the Tunisian
border, the capital city under-ground metro,
fifteen (15) hospitals, universities, dams etc
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• 2- The Five-year plan (2009-2013)

A new infrastructure and public works five year
plan (2009-2013) is expected to be around US150
billion, and will mainly be spent on
infrastructure projects (roads, ports, public
utilities), as well as the construction,
transportation and water works sectors.

• Algeria Canada Economic Relations

With 8.6 billion Canadian dollars trade exchange
mainly due to the high oil prices (was 5.5
billion in 2007), Algeria is Canadas first trade
partner in Africa and the Arab world. Economic
relations between Algeria and Canada have always
been characterized by a common will from both
sides to strengthen their efforts in order to
reinforce cooperation and to stimulate commercial
exchanges, which are already dense and in a
constant progress,
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and to promote direct investment in the framework
of a mutually advantageous partnership.
The economic cooperation reflects the presence in
Algeria of 70 Canadian firms most of which have
international dimensions, such as SNC-Lavalin,
Dessau, Bombardier, Tecsult, First Calgary
Petroleum and Talisman Energy.
Some of these companies operate in Algeria for
over 40 years.
In 2008, Algeria imported from Canada worth of
580 million Canadian dollars of the durum wheat.
The commercial exchanges between Algeria and
Canada are in a constant increase, mainly
hydrocarbon exports and import by Algeria of
equipment goods and agri-food products.
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The significant evolution occurred those last
years in the bilateral economic relations,
reflects the Canadian companies interest in
Algerias market and particularly in the sectors
of hydrocarbons, engineering, construction,
hydraulic and services.
Algeria is also one of the main partners of the
Canadian Wheat Board (CWB). Actually, it is among
the top five world importers of Canadian durum
wheat, lentils, chickpeas, and other pulses.
In the field of engineering and construction,
among the most important projects achieved by
Canada in the engineering field just for giving
one exemple two contracts have been awarded to
SNC Lavalin company totaling an amount of 1.3
billion CAD for providing services of
engineering,
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supply and construction of two power plants, one
which is already operational with a capacity of
825 Megawatt totaling an amount of 560 million
CAD, and the other one with the capacity of 1227
Megawatt is underway.
Also the engineering and construction company
Dessau Soprin, present in Algeria since 2002,
where it achieves various important economic
projects, has signed two contracts for the
achievement of studies, follow-up and supervision
of two portions of the large-scale East-West
Highway project (1200 Km), listed in the
five-year economic revival program and another
huge project the Great Mosque of Algiers.
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We have noticed, however, that our main economic
relations are with the province of Quebec.
Unfortunately little business is being done with
Prince Edward Island despite the number of
companies based in this province specialized in
agriculture, tourism and fishing etc. Those
companies can be awarded contracts in Algeria.
Prince Edward Island enjoys the reputation as
Canada's leading potato producing province.
Producers are continually making improvements and
striving to maintain and enhance the province's
potato status by anticipating and meeting
changing demands in world potato markets.
Algeria wants to take advantage of this
experience.
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• Free movement

In June 15th, 2007, the airline Air Algérie began
twice to four weekly flights between Montreal and
Algiers, facilitating the travel movements of
Algerian and Canadian business community.
Air Algerie Crew during the first landing
at Montreals Trudeau Airport.
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• Easy to get a business visa

The business visa is easy to get from the
Embassys Consular Section located in Ottawa or
our General Consulate in Montreal.
The business community can be issued business
visa by mail in 48hours.
Consular Section in Ottawa
General Consulate in Montreal
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FRAMEWORKS OF ASSISTANCE FOR CANADIAN FIRMS TO DO
THEIR BUSINESS IN ALGERIA
The Economic Section of the Embassy of Algeria
which provide the most updated input, documents,
statistics and other data on the Algerian
economic economy and market. The Economic
Section will be pleased to answer any question or
concern that you might have by email at
info_at_embassyalgeria.ca
Also, the Embassy of Algerias website
(www.amlbalgott.com) is an excellent source of
economic information in both English and French
languages.
I would like also to underline the important role
played by the Canadian Embassy in Algiers in
favor of the Canadian business community
(www.canadainternational.gc.ca/algeria).
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Last but not least, we have a bilateral framework
that gathers Canadian businessmen who operate in
Algeria. Im talking about the Canada-Algeria
Business Alliance (CABC) that has been revived
last year to promote business between Algeria and
Canada.
CABA meeting on July 16 th, 2008, in Montreal
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In December 18th, 2008, the CABC organized an
Economic Day on business opportunities offered by
the Algerian market and is planning to organize a
Canadian economic mission to Algeria next fall.
I would like to seize this opportunity to invite
Canadian companies in general and those of Prince
Edward Island in particular, to join the CABC at
(www.alliance-affaires.ca) to take advantage of
the various economic opportunities provided by
the Algerian market.
I wish that PEI companies would show interest to
the huge potential of the Algerian market and
would make the necessary steps to discover this
market oriented towards the future.
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Photo Gallery of Economic cultural projects
achieved and supervised by Canadian companies
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Sanctuary of the Martyr (by SNC-Lavalin)
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Thermal Power Plant IN Skikda (by
SNC-Lavalin)
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East-West Highway (by Dessau-Soprin)
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The Big Mosque of Algiers Dessau-Soprin
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Photo Gallery of Important projects in Algeria
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Algiers Tramway Cable Car
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Algiers Metro Subway
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Water Desalination Plant
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New Algiers International Airport
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Thank you for your kind attention and welcome in
Algeria the land of hospitality.