Algeria ranks as first customer of France in North Africa and Middle – East

According to latest statistics, Algeria imported in the course of the year 2013 from France large batches of medicines and pharmaceutical products estimated at over 760 million Euros as part of their steady cooperation agreements.

These statistics were issued Tuesday by a public French health Institute in charge of streamlining France’s exports of pharmaceutical products and medecines to North African and Middle-Eastern countries.

As a result, the statistics show that Algeria with its 760 million import bill is ranked as France’s first customer in the regions of North Africa and the Middle-East.

At the world level, Algeria is classified in the 8^th slot in terms of imports spanning various products and commodities from France. The sale of French pharmaceutical products in Algeria witnessed a 7 per cent hike in 2013 compared to the year 2012, according to recent figures.

Meanwhile, on the national industrial development track, Algeria is looking to expand its defense industrial workforce and output as foreign investment in the country’s industry approaches USD1 billion, the head of Algeria’s military manufacturing body has told local media.

In an interview with a local newspaper on 9 September, Major General Rashid Chouaki said the Algerian government was seeking to raise the country’s defense industrial output from about 5-6% of GDP up to 10% as part of efforts to reduce the country’s economic reliance on hydrocarbons and tackle the wider informal economy that makes up much of Algeria’s economic output.

Maj Gen Chouaki said the policy aims to add 25,000 workers to the sector’s current 15-17,000, as well as 20,000 positions in adjacent sectors as the military looks to outsource roles such as mechanical repair.