Latest news with #KamalRezig
Zawya
09-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Algeria eyes deeper intra-African trade via gas pipeline, infrastructure links
Algeria is working to expand its share of intra-African trade by leveraging opportunities created under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Foreign Trade and Export Promotion Minister Kamal Rezig said during the Algeria Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025 Business Roadshow. In his speech, Rezig pointed to several cross-border infrastructure projects that aim to enhance connectivity across the continent, according to a press statement issued by Afreximbank on Tuesday. These include the Trans-Sahara Highway, the Zouerate Road project linking Algeria's Tindouf region to Mauritania, and the Nigeria-Algeria gas pipeline, along with a parallel fibre optic corridor. Algeria is hosting the fourth edition of IATF, the Afreximbank-led biennial trade and investment event, in its capital Algiers from 4 - 10 September 2025. Separately, Ayman El-Zoghby, Director of Trade, Investment, and Financial Cooperation at Afreximbank, confirmed to local media the bank's interest in financing the Algeria–Nigeria pipeline, also called Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, a report by Algerian news portal Echoroukonline said. El-Zoghby said the bank had conveyed its commitment directly to Algerian authorities in recent meetings for financing the project, which will link gas sites in Nigeria, Niger and Algeria to supply Europe. The report further noted that in February 2025, Algeria had signed three agreements with Nigeria and Niger aimed at accelerating the 4,000-kilometre gas pipeline's implementation. These cover feasibility studies, financial frameworks, and confidentiality protocols related to sensitive technical data. Separately, Morocco has completed preliminary feasibility and engineering studies for a planned gas pipeline to ship Nigerian gas to Europe through the North African nation, Zawya Projects had reported in May 2025. (Writing by Majda Muhsen; Editing by Anoop Menon)
Zawya
09-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Algeria deepens trade ties with other African countries as it gears up for Africa's biggest marketplace
Algeria is working towards increasing its share of trade with other African countries by tapping into opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). In a keynote address during the Algeria Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025 Business Roadshow, Algeria's Minister of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion, H.E. Prof. Kamal Rezig stated that this includes enhancing continental connectivity through infrastructure projects such as the Trans-Sahara Highway and the Zouerate Road project linking the Tindouf border with Mauritania and the Nigeria-Algeria gas pipeline and fibre optic cable. 'In order to improve the business climate in Algeria, the State has endeavoured to ensure a stable, transparent, stimulating and attractive economic and institutional environment for investment. This is in addition to ensuring stability of legislation that regulates local and foreign investment, and simplifying administrative procedures, development and strengthening of the banking system, the capital market and the insurance sector, as well as development of human resources capabilities and skills, with the aim of adapting its economy to global transformations,' H.E. Rezig said, adding that besides developing key sectors, the country is also promoting exports in the continent within the framework of AfCFTA. In 2024, Algeria's share of total intra-African trade stood at 2.2%, marginally growing from 1.9% in 2022, according to African Trade Report 2025 ( Mineral fuels and oils make up 91.5% of its exports. The country's top-five African export partners in 2023 based on volumes are Tunisia (70.7%), South Africa (6.7%), Cote d'Ivoire (3.6%), Nigeria (3.1%) and Senegal (2.7%) states the Country at a Glance: Algeria 2024 report ( while its top-five import partners are Mauritania (38.8%), Tunisia (32.7%), Cote d'Ivoire (9%), Morocco (6%) and Uganda (2.2%). The Algeria IATF2025 Business Roadshow focused on promoting intra-African trade, bringing together government officials, the trade community, including businesses, investors, and executives from African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). Hosted by Afreximbank, in collaboration with the Government of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, the roadshow was one of the five roadshows hosted in key cities including Accra, Nairobi, Johannesburg, and Lagos in the run up to the fourth edition of IATF, Africa's premier trade and investment event that is held biennially, scheduled to take place in Algiers, Algeria, from 4 – 10 September 2025 hosted by the Government of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. IATF provides a platform for businesses to showcase goods and exchange trade and investment information within the continent's single market. The Chairman of IATF2025 Advisory Council and former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo said that intra-African trade presents a huge opportunity for African economies to enhance their resilience in today's rapidly changing world. 'Through the IATF, the largest, go-to trade and investment fair on the continent, Africa needs to join hands and build on the gains that have been achieved so far in promoting trade with itself under the AfCFTA framework. AfCFTA provides an opportunity for the continent to achieve economic emancipation and self-reliance and build the Africa We Want. This will help unlock the continent's vast potential while accelerating industrialisation and job creation,' H.E. Obasanjo added. The past three editions of IATF have attracted over 70,000 participants and 4,500 exhibitors, and hosted buyers and sellers from over 130 countries, generating more than $100 billion in trade and investment deals. This provides a glimpse of the immense potential that exists for intra-African trade and investment. Afreximbank's Executive Vice-President, Intra-African Trade&Export Development, Mrs Kanayo Awani noted that whereas conventional wisdom attributes Africa's low intra-continental trade to infrastructure deficits, a more fundamental barrier is the lack of access to trade and market information. 'Afreximbank launched the IATF —not merely as an exhibition but as a marketplace for the AfCFTA and a platform to close the trade information gap. Since its inception in 2018, IATF has held three resoundingly successful fairs. In these fairs, Algeria showed up strongly and directly benefited from facilitated trade and investment deals worth over $2 billion. Now, Algeria has the opportunity to host the fourth edition. As Africa's largest country by land and the fourth-largest economy by GDP, Algeria has both the duty and the opportunity to lead. Algeria's competitive advantages—energy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, financial services, light manufacturing, ICT, and automotive assembly—are all primed for scale and export across the continent,' Mrs Awani said. She challenged businesses and government agencies in Algeria and the North African region to take centre stage at IATF2025, where over 2,000 exhibitors from Africa and beyond will showcase their products to more than 35,000 visitors and buyers from over 140 countries, resulting in trade and investment deals in excess of US$44 billion. IATF2025 will feature a trade exhibition by countries and businesses; and the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme spotlighting cultural industries with a dedicated exhibition and summit on fashion, music, film, arts and craft, sports, literature, gastronomy and culinary arts. It will also include a four-day Trade and Investment Forum featuring leading African and international speakers; and the Africa Automotive Show for auto manufacturers, assemblers, original equipment manufacturers and component suppliers. Special Days will highlight countries, public and private sector entities, tourism, cultural attractions, and Global Africa Day celebrating ties with the African diaspora. Additional activities include business-to-business and business-to-government matchmaking, the AU Youth Start-Up programme, the Africa Research and Innovation Hub, and the African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network (AfSNET) to promote local trade and cultural exchanges. The IATF Virtual platform is also live, connecting exhibitors and visitors year-round. Planning for IATF2025 is in top gear with significant progress made in ensuring a seamless logistical experience and delivering a successful event. The theme of Algeria IATF2025 Business Roadshow was 'Harnessing Regional and Continental Value Chains: Accelerating Africa's Industrialisation and Global Competitiveness under the AfCFTA'. It was also attended by H.E Ms. Baleka Mbete, the founder of NaLHISA and former Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa; H.E Zitouny El-Tayeb, Minister of Internal Trade; H.E. Selma Mansouri, the Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in charge of African Affairs; H.E. Moses Vilakati, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment and Acting Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals; and Mr. Jean Louis-EKRA, former President of Afreximbank and Deputy Chair of the Intra-African Trade Fair Advisory Council. To participate in IATF2025 please visit Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank. Media contact: media@ press@ About the Intra-African Trade Fair: Organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) is intended to provide a unique platform for facilitating trade and investment information exchange in support of increased intra-African trade and investment, especially in the context of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). IATF brings together continental and global players to showcase and exhibit their goods and services and to explore business and investment opportunities in the continent. It also provides a platform to share trade, investment and market information with stakeholders and allows participants to discuss and identify solutions to the challenges confronting intra-African trade and investment. In addition to African participants, the Trade Fair is also open to businesses and investors from non-African countries interested in doing business in Africa and in supporting the continent's transformation through industrialisation and export development.
Libya Herald
09-06-2025
- Business
- Libya Herald
Algeria seeks to facilitate the flow of Algerian goods and services to the Libyan market
Algerian media reported that Foreign Trade and Export Promotion Minister Kamal Rezig chaired a coordination meeting last Wednesday (4 June) with a number of economic operators active in the field of exports to the Libyan market. The meeting was devoted to discussing ways to facilitate the flow of Algerian goods and services to this market, according to a Ministry statement. The Libyan market is deemed one of the most promising markets for Algerian products and services. This meeting is part of a series of consultations between the ministry and various economic actors, in the presence of the Governor of the Bank of Algeria, the Commissioner-General of the Association of Banks and Financial Institutions, the Vice-President of the Algerian Economic Renewal Council, as well as officials from the ministry. During the meeting, Minister Rezig affirmed his commitment to helping ensure the flow of Algerian exports, by supporting logistical aspects, improving the regulatory framework, and strengthening coordination with banking and financial authorities to secure commercial transactions. Promotion of exports outside the hydrocarbon sector The minister stressed that these efforts fall within the framework of the implementation of the strategy to promote exports outside the hydrocarbon sector, in implementation of the directives of the Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who he said attaches great importance to activating the economic partnership between Algeria and neighbouring countries. The minister also highlighted that the Libyan market is a natural extension of Algerian exports, and provides promising opportunities not only for the marketing of products, but also for the establishment of lasting and solid economic partnerships. During the meeting, Algerian exporters expressed their concerns and reviewed the obstacles they face on the ground, with the aim of reaching practical solutions in coordination with various sectors, especially financial and banking.
