Algeria’s trade surplus with Maghreb countries hits 445.23 million dollars

Algeria’s trade surplus with Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania and Libya reached $445.23 million in the first eight months of 2008 compared to $ 249.45 million in the same period last year, Algeria News Agency (APS) reported Saturday citing the Algerian Agency for Exports Promotion (ALGEX).

• Exports to the Arab Maghreb Union’s four countries rose up by 59.6 percent to $677.7 million in January-August 2008 compared to the same period in 2007, APS said.
• Algeria’s imports went up by 32.84 percent to $232.54 million.
• ALGEX said Algeria had a negative trade balance outside hydrocarbons (-$85.06 million) in January-August 2008 compared to -$50.15 million during the same period in 2007.
• Hydrocarbons remains dominating exports with a share of 78.24 percent valued at $530.28 million compared to $300.03 million.