Airlift between Algeria and Sudan to shore up investments and trading

Algeria and Sudan have expressed their readiness to prop up their economic relations up to an “exemplary partnership through the promotion of joint projects between investors and businessmen of the two brotherly countries.”

“Sudan is an important partner for Algeria in the Arab world and this partnership is expected to further expand, particularly in the fields of energy, agriculture and industry,” said Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal during the Algerian-Sudanese Business Forum, in the presence of visiting Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir.

Mr Sellal hoped that the “Forum would help enhance the joint actions up to a level tallying with the existing bonds of friendship and solidarity between the two countries, and this endeavour will culminate in tangible results in terms of partnership projects, especially in areas where agreements and executive programs were initialed.”

For his part, the Sudanese president said that Algerian investors wishing to invest in his country would benefit from administrative and tax incentives. He also highlighted the various investment opportunities in Sudan, particularly in the fields of agriculture and mining as well as in other sectors of activity.

President Al-Bashir said that an agreement had been signed between the two countries for the opening of a sea and air route between Algeria and Sudan to “facilitate trading and the movement of businessmen and investors.”

Taking the floor at the Forum, the Minister of Industry and Mines, Abdessalem Bouchouareb, brought out the need to bank on the bilateral political relations to boost Algerian-Sudanese cooperation and enhance it up to an “exemplary partnership based on mutual interests.”

For that purpose, the minister called for an intensification of coordination and consultations between the two countries with a view to  working out an ambitious scheme for the establishment of an efficient  partnership in various areas and sectors, especially as our country has all the required resources to  foster such partnership.”

Mr Bouchouareb underscored that Algeria has recently adopted a new industrial policy, giving the priority to Africa and the Arab region as a promising market. He also expressed the readiness of Algerian businessmen and investors to have a foothold in the Sudanese market, not only in the commercial field but also for wealth-generating investment.

The minister also invited Sudanese investors and businessmen to get further involved in the Algerian economy and to explore partnership opportunities with their Algerian counterparts, in consistence with the 49/51 rule governing foreign investment in Algeria.

During his state visit to Algeria, Sudan’s President had talks with President Abdellaziz Bouteflika as well as with several senior government officials and with the speakers of the two chambers of Parliament.