Algeria -

In an unprecedented outcome, Algerian trade achieved a remarkable qualitative leap - according to observers - with a rise in non-fuel exports in the first half of this year.

Recently, statistics from the Ministry of Commerce revealed that these exports amounted to $2.03 billion, compared to $1.04 billion in the same period last year, an improvement of 95.55%.

While it represented 12.38% of the country's total sales abroad, which is a record rate in the history of Algeria's foreign trade, especially in light of the exceptional epidemiological conditions.

Among the most important materials exported outside the hydrocarbon sector are mineral and chemical nitrogen fertilizers, whose exports amounted to $618 million, while Algerian iron and steel exports amounted to $370 million, and inorganic chemicals amounted to $343 million.

For its part, foodstuffs increased to 287 million dollars, and Algerian sugar exports amounted to 206 million dollars, while the value of exported metal industries rose to 141 million dollars, according to the same source.

These figures are considered an important gain for Algeria - according to specialists - in light of the continuous deficit of the general budget, and the erosion of foreign currency reserves, due to the decline in oil prices for years.

The Algerian government is counting on getting rid of the oil rent complex, which has been associated with it for half a century, by achieving about $5 billion in non-hydrocarbon exports, as a main goal for the year 2021, according to what President Abdelmadjid Tebboune stressed, and included it among the priorities of economic recovery, in an effort to benefit from the advantages Entry to the African Free Zone.

Berish: The political will and the liberation of the Algerian product from the inferiority complex behind the rise in exports (Al-Jazeera)

positive result

The financial expert, Burish Abdel Qader, considered that the announced numbers are positive, given the general context of the national and global economy, due to the effects of the Corona pandemic, and the restrictions imposed on movement and air transport of people, and the increase in shipping costs for goods.

He stressed - in a statement to Al Jazeera Net - that the first importance, regardless of the exported quantities and financial values, is the liberation of the Algerian economic operator from the inferiority complex, and his belief that his country's product is capable of export and competition in foreign markets, in accordance with European and international standard requirements and conditions.

A member of the Finance Committee of the Algerian Parliament explained that the main gain is that the issue of diversifying exports outside hydrocarbons and raising them has become an institutional preoccupation, starting with the presidency of the republic to the government, passing through banks and customs administration, and ending with the role of diplomacy that turned into helping economic dealers enter foreign markets, especially African Of which.

political will

The advisor of the International Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development attributed the progress of Algerian exports outside hydrocarbons - since the beginning of this year - to "the presence of a political will driving towards achieving this goal, embodied in the President of the Republic's personal keenness to reach the threshold of 5 billion dollars during the year 2021."

He also explained it by organizing the dealers in the sector, and their pressure on the responsible authorities, led by the Ministry of Commerce, in order to facilitate export operations, especially the issue of providing logistical support, although this aspect is still witnessing a great shortage, especially the issue of transportation, as he put it.

In his reading of the improvement in Algerian exports outside hydrocarbons, Berish pointed to the involvement of the rest of the workers and their positive interaction by facilitating procedures at the level of banks, customs, and other parties involved in the export chain.

He also praised the professionalism that Algerian exporters have enjoyed in entering foreign markets and adopting modern marketing methods, taking advantage of the African Free Trade Agreement, and the opportunities it provided for access to African markets.

He stressed the noticeable improvement in the quality of the Algerian product and its ability to compete in foreign markets, in terms of price and quality.

Aya: Algeria is able, on conditions, to achieve the goals of exports outside hydrocarbons under the African Free Zone (Al-Jazeera)

success conditions

On the other hand, economic expert Abd al-Rahman Aya stressed that controlling legal and regulatory texts, overcoming administrative obstacles, as well as the need to manage the export file according to economic bases instead of bureaucratic management;

It remains one of the most important factors to achieve the desired goal of liberalizing Algerian exports outside hydrocarbons.

Ayah believes - in a statement to Al Jazeera Net - that the African Free Trade Zone offers Algerian trade a great opportunity, especially with the absence of impossible conditions imposed by other countries on the products entering its territory.

The spokesman considered that the conditions of the European Union bloc (Algeria's main trading partner) are harsh, under the pretext of protecting consumers and the environment, which forces it to focus the strategy of raising exports outside the hydrocarbon sector on African markets in the first place.

He said that Algeria should take advantage of the continental openness to export products of manufacturing industries, and not be satisfied with marketing raw commodities, which currently account for 71% of the total exports outside the hydrocarbon sector, with a focus on the food industry, which represents only 19% of the total.

He pointed out that the latter is the most in demand in African markets, noting that Algerian food products are characterized by quality and preservation of their natural characteristics, unlike commodities coming from developed countries, as they are genetically modified, as he described.

To achieve this - according to the same expert - it is necessary to pay attention to the aspect of product marketing, such as canning, which he described as the global challenge today in international exchanges, as well as relying on market studies, not to mention developing plans to break into African markets with the involvement of national and foreign specialists, with a priority to activate the role of economic diplomacy. At the level of embassies and consulates abroad.