Cars importing does not exist anymore in Algeria, says industry minister

Algeria’s industry minister Abdesselam Bouchouareb Tuesday inaugurated a unit for trucks assembly in the Batna Industrial Zone in partnership with a South Korean manufacturer. Annual production capacity is expected to be estimated at about 15,000 units and may reach 22,000 by 2022 with a 40 percent integration during the first five years.

The minister avoided to respond to Issad Rabrab’s remarks about the Hunday project, saying “there are other investors in Algeria. There are future leaders. Everyone must get a chance.”

Speaking about the assembly plant, he said it is part of other projects meant to diversify national economy. It came to meet a domestic demand. “Assembly phase is obligatory before moving to manufacturing.

According to the minister, Algeria refuses to remain a car importing country. “It has an ambition to make cars and that will happen progressively. Importing cost us a lot and we face difficulties to fix that. We are all living in the same circumstances.”

Speaking about car dealers, Bouchouareb said the government wants them to become a real industrial projects holders. “Importing encouragement does not exist anymore. The market is very promising. Because of that, you [car dealers] should not rely on importing only.”

Asked about Rebrab’s remarks about the Hunday trucks assembly unit, he said Rebrab himself who should talk about that.

South Korea’s Ambasasdor to Algiers said his country wants the partnership to exceed assembly phase and to reach real manufacturing of spare parts in Algeria.