Five French, Korean, And Chinese Dealerships To Manufacture Cars In Algeria

Five international groups specialized in cars manufacturing and marketing expressed their desire to invest in the Algerian market through the establishment of units for the production or installation of cars like Volkswagen, whose partnership contract with Sovac has ended due to the uncertainty that is still prevailing the market.

The head of the National Council for Consultation for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises, Adel Bensaci, told Echorouk that they had meetings at the council level with 5 foreign car manufacturers, who announced their readiness to enter the Algerian market to invest in the field of vehicle manufacturing, or as a first stage installation without benefiting from any tax exemptions or tax privileges.

“We spoke with these global manufacturers at the level of the National Consultation Council for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises. We also held a meeting with the Oran Stock Exchange, and everyone confirmed their interest in the Algerian market, and their desire to invest in Algeria even without getting tax cuts”, he added.

“This is related to French and South Korean dealerships in the field of utility vehicles and a Chinese dealership. The Algerian market, whose needs reach half a million vehicles, is attracting global car producers, despite all that is being circulated by some parties about the reluctance of investors from the cars sector in Algeria. However, officials are required today to decide on these files, before considering the rest of the requests, especially since the five dealers are not waiting for any incentives or exemptions”.

“The news circulating about global manufacturers announcing that they will not return to the Algerian market, such as German Volkswagen and Korean Hyundai, have no evidence, in reality, as the expiration of these factories’ contracts with the dealer Sovac, for example, does not mean that Volkswagen will not invest in Algerian market again”.

“The dealerships with whom we spoke confirmed that they accepted all the conditions of the Algerian party and expressed their readiness to invest in the Algerian market”.

The spokesman demanded the disclosure of the results of the work of the technical committee at the level of the Ministry of Industry in charge of studying the accreditation files for importing cars, which began to work some time ago, confirming that ambiguity surrounds the car market in Algeria today, whether it comes to importing or manufacturing due to the delay in disclosing the results of a study of the files.

In a separate context, sources from the Ministry of Industry denied preparing to impose a new bill of specifications, to regulate the activity of importing cars, explaining that the last book issued at the beginning of last May is valid and is being worked on, as the technical committee in charge of adjudicating the files of approved car dealerships is studying according to it, and confirmed that work is continuing at the level of the committee, which is working in full swing to consider the files deposited on its table.

Over 14 car groups are active in the global market, with a total number equivalent to 54 vehicle marks, while the new Algerian bill of specifications regulating the activity of importing and manufacturing vehicles allows dealers wishing to obtain import and production licenses to choose the group they wish to deal with while respecting the conditions and standards imposed by the bill of specifications, which came to regulate the activity of dealerships and protect the Algerian consumer.