CREA’s Vice President Kerrar: “Algeria Poised to Become a Major Player in the Pharmaceutical Industry”
BY: Hana Saada
ALGIERS- Dr. Abdelouahed Kerrar, the Vice President of the Council for Algerian Economic Renewal (CREA), is strongly convinced that Algeria is on the right path to revive its economy and emerge as a major player in the region, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry.
“The roadmap outlined by the government aims to revive the economic sector by protecting the national economy, creating employment and wealth, and working towards independence in strategic sectors,” stated Mr. Kerrar during his appearance on the “L’invité de la Rédaction” program on Radio Algérienne’s Channel 3.
According to Mr. Kerrar, Algeria is on the right track to achieve its objectives. However, two challenges stand in its way: “firstly, resistance to change and bureaucracy, which both small and large enterprises complain about and are dragging Algeria down.”
When asked about the state’s protectionism, which can be a double-edged sword for its economy, the interviewee assured that this action is more than necessary. “All states are protecting themselves today. A country like Algeria has no choice but to prioritize local production and local employment. Perhaps the way it is done needs to change, but we are on the right path in the decision to protect local production,” he estimated.
To support his statements, the interviewee cited the example of the decree, enacted in 2008, prohibiting the importation of pharmaceutical products produced locally, the results of which were harvested several years later. “The pharmaceutical production sector is very efficient, and products manufactured in Algeria are competitive. Algeria is the first country in the MENA region to cover 70% of its needs through local production,” affirmed the head of Biopharm and president of the National Union of Pharmacy Operators (Unop).
The Vice President of CREA also pointed out that countries with pharmaceutical industries dating back to the 1950s, such as Egypt, only cover 52 to 53% of their markets with local production. “Our country can become a major player in the pharmaceutical industry because we have nearly 200 manufacturing units. We can, under certain conditions, become a major regional player in pharmaceutical exports and reach $700 million, as is the case for Jordan,” reassured Dr. Kerrar.
Currently, the volume of exports in this sector is not significant, “because we have focused on covering the very large national market with over $6.2 billion in local production,” explained the guest on Channel 3.
Furthermore, Mr. Kerrar welcomed the announcement made by the President of the Republic regarding the limitation to one month as the timeframe for the appearance and implementation of application decrees. “This is one of the weaknesses that marked the past,” he regretted, indicating that “application texts do not appear, and reforms are not being implemented on the ground, despite the fact that the essence and will for reform are there,” he said. “Citizens and businesses are waiting for reforms on the ground. They hope that these texts will, concretely, change the situation,” concluded the Vice President of CREA.
