Algeria imports spare parts worth $5.3 billion per year, says energy minister

Algeria’s energy group Sonatrach imports about 500,000 spare parts per year worth $5.3 billion for maintenance operations, Algerian energy minister Youcef Yousfi said on Sunday.

• “Less than 1 percent of spare parts used by Sonatrach are locally manufactured,” Youcef Yousfi said in a conference.
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• He added that the group’s investments in energy are estimated at $12 billion annually.
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• He criticised private operators in mines sector, saying “it is unconceivable that Algeria imports sand to manufacture glass.”
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• He believes that the concretisation of renewable energies “will have no sense” only if most of equipments are locally manufacture.
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• “The national public and private sector should directly and strongly contribute in the implementation of the national plan for renewable energies,” he said.
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• Algerian industry minister Mohamed Ben Meradi said his ministry is ready to contribute in the implementation of the national programme for new and renewable energies.
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• “Industrial sub-contracting is one of the most targeted in this cooperation through the enhancement of the national network for sub-contracting,” he added.
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• Sonatrach’s CEO Nourredine Cherrouati said the market provided by the group’s activities like industrial equipments and spare parts are a real opportunity to concretise partners interesting partnerships.