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Welcome from Lady Olga Maitland...
Current Chairman Algeria British Business Council:
“Now is the time for British companies to establish a footprint in Algeria. Patience and perseverance are required but Algeria has made it very clear that it welcomes and encourages British participation in the development of its country. We are here to help companies achieve their objectives and in the process prosper by using our expertise.”
Michael Hodges, HSBC: “Algeria is seen as an important market of the future by HSBC, with its large educated population and massive hydrocarbon resources. HSBC accordingly opened its first branch in Algiers in 2008, and is opening a further branch there this year. HSBC is very supportive of the setting up of an Algeria British Business Council in order to further increased relations between the two countries.”
Algeria, one of the richest countries in the African continent, is today recognisable as an investment prospect. The bitter conflicts of the 1990s are well behind, and now the country is stable and ripe for development. Indeed the country’s image in the eyes of the outside world has been reshaped so successfully that Algeria’s oil and gas resources are now a major part of Europe’s energy plans. Overall, Algeria’s economy is expected to grow 4% in 2011. Indeed the non-hydrocarbon sector in 2009 grew 9% alone.
More than that, Algeria is poised for next steps. In particular developing and expanding its economic relations with Britain. The relationship was highlighted by the visit by President Bouteflika to Britain for a working visit with Prime Minister Tony Blair and a meeting with H.M. The Queen in 2006.
The desire on the part of the Algerians to cement this has been has been an upsurge in diplomatic and political ties. Today the country is keen to move forward on business relationships.
As Arslan Chikhaoui, President of the Algerian British Business Council in Algiers said, ‘ The trend in Algeria today is towards opening up the country on all fronts. A vibrant Algerian British Business Council would be key to this.’
Already landmark British companies have established a foothold including BP, BG, British Airways, AstraZeneca, HSBC, British American Tobacco, GlaxoSmithKline, Shell and Unilever among others. Bilateral trade now accounts for $2b. There are plenty of opportunities for others to take part in a country where the Government has committed 250billion Euros to its Public Investment Programme. Privatisation is now on the move giving ample opportunity for the independent sector. There is a role for British companies to play a significant part.