Abdelkader Gouri: “Privileges For French Businessmen Will Be Abolished In The Algerian Market”

Algeria’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry has started talks to expand the horizons of the Algerian foreign partnership during the next phase by bringing in new investors and withdrawing the exclusive Algerian market from the French dealers, giving priority only to those who invest seriously and contribute to bringing expertise and technology.

Chairman of the Algerian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Abdelkader Gouri, who was elected last Saturday at the head of the chamber, and succeeded the former chairman, Mohamed Ben Laid Benamor, revealed on a plan to reduce the partnership with France and French dealers during the next phase, replacing them with African partnership, which is a point of contention that differs him from former officials of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“Time of the French exclusivity in the Algerian market is over, and today the priority is for our African neighbors”, he said on Tuesday.

“The Algerian partnership during the last period was mainly focused on satisfying the French and granting them a number of privileges in the Algerian market, which qualifies them to sweep it. Today, the situation is different, as France will not have priority, nor will other European countries, but in the case of transfer of expertise and technology. Algeria will seek all ways and means to build new partnerships on the basis of a winning winner, giving priority to African neighbors”.

In order to facilitate the arrival of foreign investment to Algeria and ease the obstacles, Gouri asked to review the investment rule 51/49, which has always affected the national economy and made a large number of foreigners prefer the Moroccan and Tunisian markets.

“This rule proved over the 10 years of its application that it damaged the economy which necessitates the urgent review of the investment law, abandoning this rule and replacing it with more flexible rules to attract foreign partners who would do much for the Algerians”.

On his priorities at the leadership of the Algerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gouri talked about eliminating the bureaucracy, granting facilities to local and foreign businessmen, and developing the role of the provincial and national chambers of commerce to allow them to discuss serious economic issues and attract partnerships and encourage the export of domestic products abroad, especially with regard to the increase in the proportion of the non-hydrocarbons exports.

Gouli also confirmed that he is encouraged with the authority’s measures to punish the businessmen involved in corruption cases.

“As chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, I fully support and trust the judicial surveillance and support the accountability and prosecution of all those involved in corruption cases. Every corrupt must be punished by law”.