Sellal: Algeria will not play gendarme’s role in the region

Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal Thursday said Algeria will not embrace savage liberalism and economic opening will not push it to abandon its social moral role emanating from its history.

“President Bouteflika has personally pledged for many times that Algeria is very far from the absolute liberal trend which is the source of frequent crises in the world economy and bankruptcy of many nations,” Sellal said in the 15th tripartite meeting in Algiers.  

“The challenge raised by Algeria is to build a national industry able to put Algeria among respected nations in the Euro-Mediterranean region. This would enable Algeria to play its geostrategic role,” he added.

The meeting was attended by chiefs of enterprises, employers’ organizations, workers’ union, economists and national media.

Sellal also said Algeria refuses to play the gendarme’s role in the region as its history and religion do not allow it to go in this sense.

He believes that reviving a high level modern industrial base can be concretized, saying delay in the industrial sector can be a positive point for Algeria.

He assigned three working teams to prepare growth social and economic pact and present suggestions about the National Investment Fund’s role in funding national public and private investment. Another team will be in charge of encouraging national production including consumption credit for local production while another team will supervise management processes and facilitation of national construction, public works and water enterprises’ role in the achievement of equipment national program.

Sellal said Algeria does not want to forbid importing but wants to keep watch on it.

He added that the 49/51 rule enabled to protect national economy, saying that Algeria recovered 51 percent of iron and steel complex in El Hadjar without paying “one dinar.”

“El Hadjar complex would have disapeeared if we did not move. Some of important facilities in iron and steel industry in Algeria do not work due to the absence of investments.”

Sellal said it is an illusion for Algeria to build its competitiveness on cheap manpower as it can export products with high added value and technological value.

“Economy will remain strong regardless its dependence on hydrocarbons. Algeria’s financial situation is good. Its GDP out of hydrocarbons increased by 7.1 percent. Reviving industry is extremely important to make it a strong engine and to pave the way for wealth and jobs creation.”

Sellal pledged to not make any difference any more between private and public enterprises, saying development and wealth creation efforts must be beard by everyone because it is the only way to eliminate dependence on hydrocarbons.