Oman, Algeria trade sees growth of 48% in 2024
Muscat: Spanning 2,381,741 sqm, Algeria is the world's tenth-largest nation by area, and the largest nation in Africa.
It has a semi-arid climate, with the Sahara desert dominating most of the territory except for its fertile and mountainous north, where most of the population is concentrated.
With a population of 44 million, Algeria is the tenth-most populous country in Africa, and the 33rd-most populous country in the world.
Algeria's official languages are Arabic and Tamazight; French is used in media, education, and certain administrative matters, but it has no official status.
The vast majority of the population speaks the Algerian dialect of Arabic.
Oman-Alegeria relations
Preliminary data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) indicates that the volume of trade exchange between the Sultanate of Oman and Algeria increased in 2024 by nearly 48 percent, reaching RO62,988,200 million, compared to RO41,417,200 in 2023.
The data showed that total Omani exports to Algeria in 2024 amounted to around RO62.3 million, while Omani imports from Algeria in 2024 amounted to around RO707,900,000.
The total number of Algerian visitors arriving in the Sultanate of Oman through all ports was 5,222 visitors in 2024, compared to 4,856 visitors in 2023, an increase of 7.5 percent.
SOGEX Oman, an Omani company operating in the electricity and water sector, is the first Omani company to invest in Algeria through investing in the development of electricity and water plants, represented by the implementation of the first power plant in Algeria, the "Arzul" power and water plant, in 2004.
Dr. Suhaib Abu Dayya, CEO of SOGEX Oman, said that the company's Arzul power plant has been operational for more than 20 years, and that the company is currently seeking to invest in developing other plants, such as the Tarja and Kodit power plants, in partnership with the Algerian government. He noted that the company established the Algerian Maintenance and Operation Company as part of this partnership, which specializes in the electricity sector.
He said that the company's investments in Algeria exceeded $150 million, indicating that there will be further expansion and diversification in investments in the coming period, especially in desalination projects.
In 2008, the Suhail Bahwan Group succeeded in entering into a strategic partnership with the Algerian Sonatrach Group through the establishment of the Omani Algerian Fertilizer Company, which implemented the urea complex at RO3 billion.
It includes two industrial units for the production of ammonia and urea with a total production capacity of 4,000 tons per day of ammonia and 7,000 tons per day of urea in Marsa Al-Hajjaj Arroyo in Algeria.
Salim bin Saud Bahwan, CEO of Oman Trading Establishment, said that the Suhail Bahwan Group owns 51 percent of the shares in the urea complex, which was inaugurated in 2014. He noted that there is a plan to expand the capacity of the ammonia and urea plant by up to 50 percent.
He said that the Omani Algerian Fertilizer Company contributes to developing the petrochemical industry and enhancing food security in Algeria by providing essential fertilizers to support the agricultural sector, in addition to supporting Algerian exports outside the hydrocarbon sector by exporting its products to global markets.
Salem bin Saud Bahwan indicated that the Saad Bahwan Group will invest in Algeria by establishing a car assembly and manufacturing plant in partnership with the Korean car manufacturer Hyundai.
He confirmed that the project has made significant progress in its establishment, that the location of the plant has been determined, and that the total cost of the project is currently being studied.
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