The Minister of Industry, Yahia Bachir, was heard by the Economic Affairs, Development, Industry, Trade, and Planning Commission of the People’s National Assembly (APN). The session focused on the guarantees offered by the State and their impact on improving the investment climate to attract a greater number of investors.
In his address, the minister affirmed that Algeria is working to establish an incentive investment environment designed to encourage national and foreign investors to launch projects that create wealth and jobs, thereby contributing to the diversification of national production, import substitution, and export promotion.
Regarding legal guarantees, Mr. Bachir recalled the provisions of Law No. 22-18 on investment, which enshrines several fundamental guarantees, including transparency, freedom to invest, equal treatment, legislative stability, protection of intellectual property, the right to recourse to justice and international arbitration, as well as protection of capital against any form of confiscation, with fair compensation.
He also detailed the tax and incentive advantages granted to investors, specifying that tax and customs exemptions can be granted for periods of up to ten years. These measures are part of three distinct incentive regimes targeting priority sectors, areas of particular importance, and structuring projects.
Furthermore, the minister highlighted support programs for strategic industrial sectors, including the automotive industry, electronics and household appliances industries, industrial subcontracting, as well as the importation of used production lines and agricultural equipment.
Addressing the issue of industrial land, he emphasized the importance of reforms underway in this area, through the designation of the Algerian Investment Promotion Agency as a one-stop shop for land allocation, digitization and transparency in management, the creation of specialized agencies, and the availability of a large portfolio of industrial land nationwide.
The minister also stressed the digitization of the investment process through electronic platforms facilitating file tracking. He indicated that the ministry had lifted constraints on 854 projects during the 2022/2023 period, enabling the creation of more than 52,000 jobs. He also emphasized the importance of partnerships for technology and know-how transfer.
On promoting investment opportunities, Mr. Bachir stated that the sector regularly participates in national and international forums and trade fairs, as well as joint commissions with partner countries, to strengthen Algeria’s image as a safe and attractive investment destination.
During the session, the minister listened to the concerns and questions of the deputies, to which he provided responses deemed comprehensive, reaffirming his department’s willingness to remove obstacles and continue supporting investors.
In this regard, the minister reiterated the State’s commitment to establishing a secure and transparent investment environment, based on solid legal guarantees and incentive measures, to support economic projects as well as local and foreign investors, and to bolster industrial development, job creation, and national economic diversification.