BY: Dr. Hana Saada
At the closing conference of the Algeria-EU Sustainable Investment Partnership Project, key Algerian officials and economic leaders urged a comprehensive revision of the partnership agreement to reflect mutual respect, balanced interests, and shared development goals.
Algiers, Algeria | April 24th, 2025 — In a powerful call for a more balanced and future-oriented partnership, Algerian economic leaders and government officials have urged the European Union to re-evaluate its approach to cooperation with Algeria. The demand was made during the final conference of the Algeria-European Union Sustainable Investment Partnership Project, held under the theme: “Algeria – European Union: New Dynamics in a Changing World.”
Algeria’s demands were clear: a broader gateway for Algerian products into European markets, concrete technology transfers, expanded joint production projects, and, critically, direct European investment within Algeria’s borders.
Speaking at the opening session, Toufik Djouama, Director General for Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, underscored that the current EU-Algeria association agreement provides preferential market access in return for stimulating investment. However, he pointed out that actual European investments have not matched expectations, remaining disproportionately low compared to the volume of trade exchanges.
“This imbalance justifies the urgent need to work together in order to attract European investments that align with Algeria’s national priorities and the EU’s Mediterranean development vision,” Djouama stated. He added that the EU’s recent direct investment initiative in Algeria aims to evaluate the current shortcomings and develop corrective strategies.
The upcoming financial programming period (2025–2027) is expected to see the launch of a new investment facilitation program. According to Djouama, this will be instrumental in improving the business climate and fostering robust public-private partnerships in Algeria, especially in key strategic sectors.
Omar Rekkache, Director of the Algerian Investment Promotion Agency (AAPI), revealed insights from a recent exploratory mission covering 14 European countries, including a final stop in Athens just last week. “This initiative allowed Algeria to present itself as a reliable and promising destination for direct European investment,” he said.
Over 122 meetings were organized with more than 76 economic entities and 34 institutional bodies, including chambers of commerce, professional organizations, and two investment funds. According to Rekkache, European companies expressed a strong willingness to invest in sectors such as energy, renewables, agriculture, and agri-food processing.
“I reaffirm the agency’s unwavering commitment to offering comprehensive support for productive investments, in a transparent, efficient, and prompt business environment,” he added, emphasizing Algeria’s determination to build a genuine win-win investment climate.
Meanwhile, Kamel Moula, President of the Algerian Economic Renewal Council (CREA), articulated the expectations of Algeria’s business community for the revision of the partnership agreement. According to Moula, three main pillars must be addressed.
First, opening European markets to Algerian exports outside the hydrocarbon sector. “Our domestic production now spans multiple sectors, meets international standards—especially in food safety—and is undergoing decarbonization efforts,” he noted.
Second, Moula insisted on the transfer of technology through joint production ventures. “This form of partnership is the true alternative to industrial offshoring for developed nations, while offering emerging economies a real chance to grow. It embodies the spirit of shared success.”
Third, Moula underscored the importance of attracting European capital to Algerian soil as a gesture of trust and commitment to long-term cooperation. “Algerian economic operators are ready to welcome their European counterparts and integrate them into the local market,” he said.
Moula concluded by urging Europe to look beyond immediate commercial benefits. “We must break free from the narrow view that has characterized our relations. The European Union must realize that together, we can achieve extraordinary milestones.”
In a related statement, Stefano Sannino, Director General of North Africa and the Middle East at the European Commission, praised Algeria’s investment facilitation measures. Sannino, who is on a working visit to Algeria, confirmed that 250 European companies have already expressed keen interest in the Algerian market following the 14-country roadshow. “This is an encouraging sign of a shared willingness to pave the way for a new era of joint investment,” he said.
The conference ended with a strong consensus: the Algeria-EU partnership must evolve from a trade-heavy agreement to a deeper economic alliance grounded in mutual benefit, local development, and sustainable cooperation.
