Opening of 7th Edition of Algerian Products Fair in Nouakchott
The 7th edition of the Algerian Products Fair in Mauritania officially kicked off on Thursday in Nouakchott, with the aim of enhancing trade relations between the two countries and uncovering new opportunities for bilateral partnership.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Tayeb Zitouni, the Minister of Domestic Trade and National Market Regulation, alongside Zeinebou Ahmednah, the Mauritanian Minister of Commerce and Tourism. Also present were Omar Rekkache, Director General of the Algerian Investment Promotion Agency (AAPI), and a delegation from the Algerian Economic Renewal Council (CREA).
In his address at the event, Zitouni emphasized the profound relationship between Algeria and Mauritania, which is experiencing “constant development.” He stated that such events can “strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and enhance the closeness and partnership between the two fraternal countries.”
He pointed out that both nations are eager to realize their shared political will to reinforce this historic relationship in economic sectors, noting the “qualitative leap” in commercial exchanges marked by a substantial increase in Algerian exports to Mauritania in recent years.
Thanks to this momentum, Algeria now accounts for 30% of Mauritania’s external trade, remarked Zitouni, underscoring the need to adopt new mechanisms that establish sustainable economic cooperation based on a win-win principle.
In this context, the Minister highlighted the importance of the Tindouf-Zouerate road in Mauritania, which Algeria is constructing over a distance of 850 kilometers at an estimated cost of nearly one billion US dollars. He emphasized that this project “is a tangible expression of Algeria’s strong commitment to enhancing its relations with Mauritania.”
This firm commitment has also been reflected in the establishment of a free trade zone between Mauritania and Algeria, inaugurated last year by the leaders of both countries, Zitouni added.
Furthermore, he noted the continuous increase in the number of participants at this fair, which has reached 219 exhibitors from various sectors, including construction, public works, industry, energy, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, electronics, mechanics, metallurgy, and services.
For her part, the Mauritanian Minister underscored “the depth of the fraternal and historical relations between Mauritania and Algeria,” emphasizing the “qualitative leap” these relations have undergone in recent years, thanks to the insightful vision and judicious guidance of the presidents of both countries.
She described this fair as “more than just a commercial showcase,” calling it “a strategic economic bridge that reinforces the complementarity between the business sectors of both countries and opens promising avenues for bilateral investments,” while noting the positive outcomes achieved in previous editions.
According to Ahmednah, “both countries now face a new opportunity to strengthen partnership ties and economic complementarity by encouraging the private sector to build effective cooperation bridges and move towards a resilient, promising, and integrated economy.”
She also expressed her country’s full readiness to eliminate obstacles and create a favorable and attractive environment for investments, urging Algerian entrepreneurs to explore available opportunities, particularly in vital sectors such as agriculture, energy, and services.
