Algerian Industry Minister, Fريد كورتل, has announced that a comprehensive inventory of 729 industrial and activity zones has been completed across the country. This initiative was ordered by President عبد المجيد تبون to be completed by the end of September. The inventory was conducted in coordination with local authorities and included various types of industrial and activity zones. This aims to determine the status of industrial real estate and provide a more accurate database for its management and direction towards investment projects.
The inventory included 610 activity zones, 66 old industrial zones, and 50 new industrial zones as part of the national program to establish 50 new industrial zones. Additionally, three facilities outside this program were included. The minister highlighted that the different types of these zones and their ownership nature result in multiple legal frameworks governing them. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the specific legal system for each zone when managing, distributing, and recovering them.
As part of the 2027 finance bill, the Ministry of Industry has requested the registration of 16 new operations to develop and rehabilitate industrial and activity zones. These operations are distributed across 14 provinces, mostly new provinces. The minister explained that these operations were proposed by local authorities after being studied according to specific criteria, including the province's attractiveness to investments, the availability of ready-to-use real estate, and the progress of work in the concerned zones.
The minister emphasized prioritizing the completion of ongoing operations and improving the readiness of industrial zones. This aims to optimize public spending and accelerate the allocation of real estate to investors. He also stressed the need to establish effective monitoring and control mechanisms after allocating real estate to ensure that investors respect their commitments. This includes monitoring project implementation, compliance with conditions, and concession contracts.
The National Agency for Industrial Real Estate, established in 2023, currently manages 142 industrial and activity zones with a total area of 13,720 hectares. Additionally, six new industrial zones with a total area of 870 hectares are being managed. The minister announced the completion of infrastructure work in three new industrial zones: أولاد بن دامو in تلمسان with an area of 103 hectares, توسعة سيدي بلعباس with an area of 54 hectares, and منطقة القصر in بجاية with an area of 176 hectares.
The minister also reported on the progress of work in other industrial zones. The industrial zone in الأربعطاش, بومرداس, is 99.5% complete, while the zone in واد نشو, غرداية, is 78.5% complete. Regarding the recovery of unused allocated real estate, the minister explained that procedures vary depending on the legal framework governing them. Under the 2008 decree, the state's property manager initiates legal proceedings when violations are detected. In contrast, the 2023 law on economic real estate allows the Algerian Investment Promotion Agency to recover real estate through an administrative procedure.
These measures aim to improve the management of industrial real estate, reduce cases of unused allocated real estate, and ensure that it is directed towards productive investment projects. This enhances the effectiveness of public investment and increases the readiness of industrial zones to receive new projects. The minister's statements highlight the government's efforts to promote investment and optimize the use of industrial real estate in Algeria.
Key points
- Algerian Industry Minister Fريد كورتل emphasizes completion of industrial zone development and allocation of real estate to investors.
- 729 industrial and activity zones have been inventoried across Algeria.
- 16 new operations are planned to develop and rehabilitate industrial zones across 14 provinces.
