After Two Years Of Sanctions’ Losses… A New Spanish Step To Position Itself In Algeria

In a clear attempt to compensate for what it missed over more than two years, Spain is seeking to regain its foothold in the Algerian market by launching a new economic body for bilateral cooperation, in a move that reflects the extent of the losses Madrid has incurred since 2022, following Algerian economic sanctions related to the shift in the Spanish position on the Western Sahara issue and its support for the Moroccan Makhzen’s so-called  proposal for autonomy.

According to what “Echorouk” learned from the initiators, this body, named the Algerian-Spanish Business Forum, was previously known as the Algerian-Spanish Club for Trade and Industry, before being re-launched in a new format as an institutional platform for businessmen, aiming to structure and  beef up economic, trade, and investment relations between the two countries.

According to the same sources, this body, launched on December 26, 2025, seeks to play the role of a permanent bridge between economic operators, by facilitating institutional dialogue, accompanying the development of joint projects, and creating business opportunities based on cooperation and mutual benefit.

The forum is represented in Spain by businessman Ismail Martin, who is responsible for coordinating with the Spanish economic and institutional fabric.

The forum’s tasks include comprehensive support for Spanish companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, wishing to enter the Algerian market or resume their activities, by providing legal and institutional guidance, assisting in finding local partners, identifying investment opportunities, and monitoring project implementation.

The forum also opens the door for Algerian companies seeking cooperation with their Spanish counterparts in economic, technological, and training fields.

This space also focuses on activating institutional representation and organizing professional meetings, economic missions, investment forums, and training programs, in coordination with embassies, chambers of commerce, and official bodies in both countries, while granting its members privileges related to consultation, representation, institutional visibility, and participation in bilateral events, in addition to adhering to the principles of sustainable development, fair trade, and social responsibility.

According to previous official Spanish data, the economy of this European country, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, incurred significant losses as a result of the almost complete freezing of exchanges with Algeria since June 2022, after losing a market that was considered one of Spain’s strategic partners, which explains Madrid’s current efforts to reopen channels of economic cooperation and try to compensate for the lost commercial and investment interests during more than two years of stagnation.

Algeria had almost completely frozen its imports from Spain from June 2022 until the autumn of 2024, following the suspension of the Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighborliness signed in 2002 between the two countries, while Algeria’s sales to Madrid continued to flow, especially oil and petroleum derivatives.