Opening Automobile File Next Week… And Investment Law Is Back!

The Minister of Industry, Ahmed Zeghdar, announced that the controversial car file would be opened next week, and that it would be dealt with seriously this time, refusing to limit the Ministry of Industry only to the “car import issue,” while promising that the investment law would be ready for presentation to parliamentarians by next September, ie with the opening of the next Assembly’s session.

Mr. Zeghdar also pointed to the readiness of his sector’s factories to provide 430,000 liters of oxygen per day to supply national hospitals that are witnessing a high demand for this vital substance, in light of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.” “.

Mr. Ahmed Zeghdar said in a closed doors’ meeting yesterday with the heads of parliamentary blocs in the National People’s Assembly, that his sector is striving hard to provide medical oxygen, which is in high demand by hospitals, in light of the exacerbation of the Covid-19 pandemic, and in this context, he stressed the launch of the Bethioua factory in Oran, with a production capacity of 100,000 within days, in addition to the Birtouta factory in the capital with a production capacity of 60,000 liters per day, while the total capacity of the sector’s factories today reaches 430,000 liters per day.

The oxygen supplied to hospitals through the industrial sector units will reach nearly half a million liters, knowing that every two days 100,000 liters of this vital substance are imported from abroad.

During his meeting with the heads of the Assembly’s blocs, the minister reviewed the various files of his sector, starting with the investment law, which he said will be ready with the opening of the new parliamentary year for presentation to the deputies of the People’s National Assembly – that is, next September – and will be presented immediately after the presentation of the government’s working plan, noting that the latter will include a number of incentives and privileges to attract local and foreign investors by solving the problems faced by the National Investment Agency “Andi”, refuting administrative obstacles, dedicating the foodstuffs industry branch in the south, and enlisting diplomacy to bring foreign investors in the fastest time and with the best projects, not to mention ensuring legal security for new entrants to the Algerian market.

Mr. Zeghdar explained that “the laws, starting today, and by order of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, will be fixed and will not change every year, in order not to question our investment climate notably in the Industrial sector”.

For the first time since his inauguration at the head of the industry sector, the minister responded to the controversial car file, whether it was about importing, installing, manufacturing and even importing cars less than 3 years old.

He made it clear to the heads of parliamentary blocs that he would open the file next week by looking at all its details and opening a thorough discussion. Extensive, with all concerned, about all the steps taken so far, and consulting all parties, and the minister promised to deal with the car file seriously this time, in an organized and methodical manner, but in return he refused to limit the Ministry of Industry to the car file, indicating the need to get out of this “shell”, and ensure significant achievements in this major sector of activity.

Meanwhile, Industry Minister, Ahmed Zeghdar, met earlier this week with officials of the Agency for the Development of SMEs and the Promotion of Innovation (ADPI-PME) and the Guarantee Fund for SMEs (FGAR), to discuss ways to strengthen support mechanisms for this category of companies to contribute to the diversification of the national economy, said a statement from the ministry.

During this meeting, explanations were provided to the minister on the agency and its main missions of support for SMEs, its stages of creation, its modernization, improvement of its competitiveness and encouragement of its innovation, which allows the agency to contribute to the intensification of a fabric of SMEs “effective and innovative” and develop subcontracting, the statement added.

On this occasion, the officials of the agency mentioned the obstacles that reduce its effectiveness in supporting a large number of SMEs, particularly the debts due to the business incubators and former facilitation centers attached to this agency, after replacing in 2018 the National Agency for SME Development (ANDPME).

On the basis of these data, Mr Zeghdar stressed the need to combine efforts to enable the agency to accomplish its role, insisting on the imperative to intensify contacts to make it known to the general public and to get closer to project holders, especially at universities.

He instructed to develop an urgent action plan that provides solutions and measures to be taken for the settlement of problems and obstacles that the agency suffers.

The agency, the statement said, has 45 local structures, spread over 33 wilayas or provinces of the Centre, West, East and South of the country, 17 business incubators, 28 support and consulting centers, in addition to three other projects of local structures to expand its network and get closer to the carriers of ideas and projects.