Algeria: “French Companies In The Eye Of the Hurricane”

French companies running vital facilities in Algeria have been in the eye of the hurricane recently, some of which have ended their contracts in management and exploitation deals and others are moving towards disengagement, especially due to gross mismanagement.

In this context, Algeria Metro has abandoned the “RATP Paris” company, whose  management and maintenance will be taken over by the Algiers Metro Corporation starting from November 1, 2020, as Algeria Metro decided not to renew the contract of the French party, and to launch an Algerian public institution 100 percent owned by the Algiers metro that will handle the operation and maintenance of this transport facility.

According to the statement published by the Algiers Metro Corporation a few days ago, all current job positions will be kept within the framework of the new company that will assume the tasks of managing and maintaining the metro, indicating that the new institution will receive all support and all capabilities from the Algiers metro to enable it to perform its tasks as efficiently as possible and in the best conditions.

It is evident from the Algerian Metro corporation’s statement that the corporation has gained enough experience to run this vital facility with Algerian hands without the help of the French company, whose contract has not been renewed.

The Algerian Metro Foundation called on workers and employees to enlist in order to ensure that the operation and maintenance activities of the new Algerian company are transferred smoothly.

The French “SUEZ” company, the parent company of “SEAL” in charge of distributing drinking water, has been present in the capital and Tipaza for months, was targeted with the dismissal of a number of its French and Algerian officials alike after the water supply crisis during the period of Eid Al-Adha religious feast.

In the context, a source in the water resources sector told “Echorouk” that the authorities do not look completely satisfied with the performance of the SEAL Company for the distribution of potable water in the capital and Tipasa after the recent crises and the fluctuation in the distribution of this basic substance that toppled the heads of a number of SEAL officials such as the company’s CEO and 12 other officials serving on the company’s board of directors.

According to the same sources, the disengagement between the Algiers metro and the “RATP Paris” company is clearly likely to be repeated with the “SEAL” company with a rescinding of its contract, which expires in April of next year.

According to the same sources,  this trend was reinforced by the Ministry of Water Resources’s announcement a few days ago that the Algerian Water Corporation and the National Sanitation Office would merge into a same complex, one whose presence would be at the national level, including the capital and Tipaza, to replace the French company, “SUEZ”, which is the parent company of SEAL.

Our source also pointed out that the successive series of events against “SEAL” suggests that the Algerian Government will not renew the water company’s contractual deal covering the capital Algiers and Tipaza province.