Algeria bans 709 Egyptian products

Algeria decided to ban 709 products made in Egypt delivering a strong blow to bilateral relations which were strained following African Cup and World Cup qualifiers.

• Customs divided the Egyptian banned products into three lists tagging it with the word ‘new.’ Importing ban on the products of the first list started in January 1st 2010. The ban on the products mentioned in the two other lists started on Friday.   
•  
• The government’s decision came a year after Algeria had become member of the Arab Free Trade Zone Agreement. It allows state members to review the list of products entering its soil.
•  
• Algeria will present its decision to negotiations with concerned Arab countries next February.
•  
• According to agreement, the number of products banned from entering the national soil is estimated at 1,141 from Egypt, Morocco, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.
•  
• Algeria’s imports from the Arab free trade zone’s member countries went up to $1.37 billion in Jan-October 2009 from $1.05 billion in 2008. Of them, 66 percent were equipments, 24 percent were medicines and home appliances, 10 percent were food industrial products.
•  
• Exports went down to $1.04 billion in Jan-October 2009 from $2.18 billion in 2008.