Algeria Archives - The African Mirror

Mar

2023

Algeria win to join teams qualified for 2024 Africa Cup of Nations

MARK GLEESON ALGERIA secured a place at the next Africa Cup of Nations finals with a 1-0 away win over Niger that ensured a top-two finish in their qualifying group with two games to go. They will join neighbours Morocco, who qualified last Friday without kicking a ball, in the field of 24-team for the finals in the Ivory Coast next January. Nigeria, Congo, Guinea, Sudan and the Central African Republic, who have never previously qualified for the finals, were also winners on Monday. Algeria's Baghdad Bounedjah slipped through the defence in the fifth minute to put the visitors ahead…

Oct

2022

By The African Mirror

Stellantis signs framework deal for Fiat vehicle production in Algeria

BUSINESS

CARMAKER Stellantis said it had signed a framework agreement with Algeria to develop activities of its Fiat brand in the county, including for local production of vehicles. The deal covers a project for the development in Algeria of industrial, after-sales and spare parts activities for Fiat, as well as the development of the automotive sector in the country, Stellantis said in a statement, after signing the agreement with the director of cooperation of Algeria's industry ministry. The world's fourth-largest carmaker, which houses brands including Peugeot, Citroen, Alfa Romeo, Jeep and Opel, did not provide further details about the activities it…

Apr

2022

By The African Mirror

Algeria says Morocco attacked truck convoys in border area

NEWS

ALGERIA condemned what it called an attack by Morocco against a convoy of trucks in the border area between Mauritania and the disputed territory of Western Sahara, saying it will jeopardize United Nations attempts to ease regional tensions. The purported attack took place on Sunday morning in the Ain Bentli region, according to Algerian press reports. "Algeria strongly condemns the targeted assassinations committed by using sophisticated weapons of war ... against civilians," a statement released by Algeria's foreign affairs ministry said. There was no immediate reaction from Mauritania or Morocco. Morocco considers sparsely populated Western Sahara a part of its…

Apr

2022

By The African Mirror

U.S. says it repatriated a Guantanamo Bay detainee to Algeria

NEWS

THE United States has repatriated to Algeria a man who was held at Guantanamo Bay for nearly two decades after being accused of conspiring with al Qaeda, the Department of Defense said on Saturday. The department identified the man as Sufiyan Barhoumi, a native of Algeria, and said his detention at the U.S. military base was "no longer necessary." Barhoumi had arrived at Guantanamo Bay in 2002, the year the base's detention camp was set up following a U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in pursuit of the al Qaeda network behind attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, the…

Mar

2022

By The African Mirror

Ukraine crisis will not impact Algeria’s wheat imports -official tells Ennahar TV

NEWS

ALGERIA, one of the world's biggest importers of wheat, said that the crisis in Ukraine will not impact its imports, an unnamed source from the state grains importer was quoted as saying by Ennahar TV on Saturday. Algeria does not rely on one supplier but several as its market is open for competition, the source, from the Office Algerien Interprofessionnel des Cereales (OAIC), added. Ukraine and Russia, which launched an invasion of its neighbour on Thursday, are both major grain exporters.

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

Algeria to start Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine production

COVID-19

ALGERIA will start production of COVID-19 vaccine Sinovac in partnership with China with the aim of meeting domestic demand and exporting the surplus, the prime minister's office has announced. The government has said production capacity will stand at one million, two million and three million doses in October, November and December respectively, before reaching five million doses per month from January. The North African country has been importing vaccines, mainly Sinovac, since the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020. The government aims to vaccinate 70% of Algeria's 45 million people. The Sinovac vaccine will be produced in the eastern city…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

Algerian crisis interim president Bensalah dies aged 80

NEWS

ALGERIA’S former interim president Abdelkader Bensalah, who ruled the country during an unprecedented political crisis in 2019, died on Wednesday aged 80, the presidency said. Bensalah was named interim president after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika stepped down in April 2019 following mass street protests to reject his plan to seek a fifth term, and demand political and economic reforms. Bouteflika, who ruled the North African country for two decades, himself died on Friday aged 84. Protests continued after the resignation of Bouteflika despite the imprisonment of several senior officials for involvement in corruption cases during Bouteflika era. Bensalah, also head of…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

Algeria prepares new investment law, aims for non-energy funding sources

BUSINESS

HAMID OULD AHMED ALGERIA is preparing a new investment law to improve its business climate and attract foreign investors with the aim of boosting the non-energy sector, according to Prime Minister Ayman Benabderrahmane. He also announced plans to develop the country's small stock exchange and launch banking and financial reforms to find new funding sources for the oil-reliant economy. OPEC member Algeria, which relies heavily on oil and gas exports, has been facing financial problems due to lower energy earnings. The situation worsened during the pandemic, which slammed crude demand and pressured international prices. The North African country has so…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

Algeria arrests more members of MAK separatist group

NEWS

ALGERIA has arrested 16 more members of a separatist group authority have declared a terrorist organisation, according to the paramilitary police. The arrests, which included a journalist, took place in the two mostly Berber-speaking Kabylie provinces of Tizi Ouzou and Bejaia after investigations over wildfires that killed at least 65 people last month, the paramilitary police, or National Gendarmerie, said in a statement. The government has accused MAK, a separatist group in the Kabylie region, east of Algiers, of being behind the devastating forest fires, which hit several provinces, including Tizi Ouzou. Algeria last week said it had detained 30…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

Algeria arrests 27 members of separatist group

NEWS

Algeria has arrested 27 suspected members of a separatist group that the government has declared a terrorist organisation, after an attack in two northern towns, police have announced. They said the 27 were suspected of belonging to MAK, a group that seeks independence for the Berber-speaking Kabylie region. Morocco's support for MAK was one of the reasons cited by Algeria in cutting diplomatic relations with the kingdom late last month. Police said the 27 were arrested "for their attempt to sow terror and strife among citizens by order of parties abroad," police said in a statement. They resorted to assault…