PM Ouyahia Cancels Import Restrictions, Directorate Of Controlling Public Money

In a surprise decision, Prime Minister, Ahmed Ouyahia canceled the provisions of two executive decrees that were signed earlier by his predecessor, Abdelmadjid Tabboune, that officially entered into force, since more than a month, as the matter concerns the General Inspectorate, which task is to control public money and another decree that is prohibiting imports from abroad without the approval of the Prime Minister.

Twelve days after his appointment as head of the executive branch, Ahmed Ouyahia wiped out the effects of his predecessor, Abdelmadjid Tabboune, and the decisions he took when he took over the government by signing executive decrees that were issued in the 50th number of the Official Gazette, on Sunday, which stated the “cancelling of the Decree No. 17-205 dated 4 Shawwal 1438, corresponding to June 28, 2017, which includes the establishment of the General Inspectorate to the Prime Minister and the definition of its functions and tasks”.

Previously, Tabboune announced the installation of a general inspection at the level of the Prime Ministry, which task is to control public funds and to provide more transparency in the financing of public projects and completion, following the approval of the National People’s Assembly, on the work plan of his previous government, on Friday, June, 23, 2017, as he said in that period that “It is a step that will be taken by the government soon and for the first time it is the establishment of a general inspection of all economic, financial and judicial competencies which task is to address the major problems in the field of public transactions. The task of this inspection will be careful monitoring of public funds, especially transactions that require large sums of money”.

Tabboune did not wait long until the General Secretariat of the Government released a decree that included the establishment of the General Inspectorate, which powers lie in controlling the public funds and cutting off the hand of corruption that extends to state projects, as the general inspector conducted it with 20 inspectors.

Ouyahia also canceled the decree on the conditions and modalities of export and import, as stated in the same number of the Official Gazette: “Provisions of the Executive Decree No. 17-202 of 27 Ramadan 1438, corresponding to June,22 2017, and that is amending and supplementing the Executive Decree No. 15- 306 Of Safar, 24, 1437 corresponding to December,6, 2015, which specifies the conditions and modalities of the application of import or export licensing systems for products and goods.

Former Prime Minister, Abdelmadjid Tabboune, signed this decree, as the absolute authority of the Joint Commission that is charged with the import license was canceled and the Prime Minister’s approval of all the products that are included in the list was imposed in a new procedure to rationalize expenditures and reduce imports, as the Join Commission, that is consisting of representatives of 3 Ministries “Industry, Trade and Agriculture”, Customs and the Bank of Algeria as well, are the first and last decision maker on the list and the quota for non-automatic import licenses, in accordance with the decree of 2015, but the Government of Tebboune decided to emphasize the process of granting licenses and the allocation of import quotas for the materials that are concerned with the operation by requiring the personal consent of the Prime Minister, based on the report of the Commerce Ministry.

Government’s decision to place import licenses to rationalize expenses has angered economic traders, and it has caused panic among several foreign embassies in Algeria., and quickly asked for clarifications, fearing the blacklisting of its exported materials to Algeria, and locally sourced materials, which were draining nearly $ 60 billion a year, as part of the process of rehabilitating the national product, defending consumers and protecting the treasury.