The Algerian Minister of Interior, Ibrahim Murad, has pledged to open two shared border crossings with Mauritania “soon,” as both countries had previously announced plans to commence operations in October 2023.
Algeria is actively seeking markets for its non-oil products in West Africa, with Mauritania serving as a gateway to fulfill this strategic direction.
Murad made this announcement after he visited the province of Tindouf, located in the southwest near the Mauritanian border.
He stated that the progress on the two border crossings, Algerian and Mauritanian, has exceeded 99 percent, ensuring their imminent opening before the end of the current year.
The minister emphasized the vital role of these border crossings in facilitating trade exchanges between Algeria and Mauritania, highlighting that his country had undertaken the construction within the framework of cooperation and good neighborliness between the two fraternal nations.
This initiative aligns with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s strategy, which is already bearing fruit.
The government’s plan includes enhancing trade with neighboring countries, particularly Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania, given that relations with Morocco have been stagnant for years due to disputes over the Western Sahara.
The borders between Algeria and Morocco have been closed since 1994.
Murad also noted that the border crossing project has been realized swiftly and with Algerian expertise, contributing to the establishment of a free trade zone previously announced by the President. The state treasury has allocated around $18 million to this project.
Furthermore, the minister highlighted a substantial project in Tindouf known as the “Gara Djebilet” iron mine, with an expected annual output of 40 to 50 tons, according to government estimates.
Additionally, the construction of a railway line is set to generate significant economic dynamism for the region, unprecedented in its history. Tindouf is poised to become a prominent economic hub.
As the two projects continue to develop, the “Algerian-Mauritanian Bilateral Border Committee” has convened multiple times to address the challenges faced by the residents of these regions, particularly regarding the lack of paved roads.
A lengthy road spanning hundreds of kilometers through rugged desert terrain is under construction between the Algerian city of Tindouf and the Mauritanian city of Zouérat.
This road is expected to boost investment opportunities, foster partnership projects in priority sectors, and enhance economic, commercial, cultural, and sports exchanges between border regions, as previously stated by officials from both countries.
It is worth noting that Algeria and Libya recently reopened the Ghadames border crossing this month, which had been closed since the Libyan crisis erupted in 2011.
The security and military apparatuses of Algeria and Mauritania have been working diligently alongside the construction progress of these two border crossings as part of a regional security plan, aiming to intensify border patrols from both sides.
This desert region is known as a haven for smugglers, arms and drug traffickers, and human smuggling networks.
In February of this year, the Algerian Ministry of Trade launched an exhibition in Nouakchott dedicated to selling non-oil products.
An official from the government’s exhibition and export company stated that “this space will provide a qualitative leap for Algerian products in the markets of Mauritania and neighboring countries.”
In the same month, Algeria opened branches of its state-owned banks in Nouakchott and Dakar as part of its strategy to boost trade in West Africa.
Beyond petroleum and gas, Algeria exports agricultural products, including dates and citrus fruits, as well as household electrical appliances.
The government reported that the value of its non-oil exports reached $7 billion in 2022, with plans to double this figure by the end of this year.
China and the European Union are Algeria’s primary trading partners, along with Turkey.