Industry Minister Engages China Baowu on El Hadjar Steel Complex
Algerian Minister of Industry, Yahia Bachir, recently held a significant meeting with a delegation from the China Baowu Steel Group to explore avenues of cooperation and partnership. The discussions, held at the Ministry's headquarters, focused on the crucial rehabilitation and development of the El Hadjar complex. Attendees included representatives from China Baowu's subsidiaries, China Road & Bridge Corporation (CRBC) in Algeria, the Director General of Société Nationale de Sidérurgie (SNS), and representatives from the Sider industrial group and Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS). This meeting is a continuation of consultations initiated by the Ministry of Industry as part of an integrated plan dedicated to revitalizing El Hadjar.
The integrated plan for the El Hadjar complex aims to modernize its production capacities, enhance its overall performance, valorize its industrial assets, and effectively integrate it within Algeria’s national steel industry ecosystem. China Baowu Steel Group's participation is particularly important due to its international expertise in the steel industry, encompassing advanced technologies, industrial digitization, direct reduction, and the production of reduced iron and hot briquetted iron (DRI/HBI). Discussions also covered the potential use of green hydrogen in low-carbon iron and steel production, drawing on China Baowu's experience and Algeria's rich mineral and energy resources, alongside its promising renewable energy potential. This approach is geared towards establishing a productive industrial partnership rooted in technology and expertise transfer, skill development, industrial localization, and strengthened local integration.
The project's strategic nature necessitates a coordinated approach involving various sectors and companies to ensure complementarity across industrial, technical, energy, mining, logistics, and training aspects. This comprehensive strategy links the development of the El Hadjar complex to all stages of the value chain, from mineral resource valorization and iron ore processing to iron and steel production, and the development of value-added products, all while progressing towards a green steel industry. As a central partner, the Société Nationale de Sidérurgie (SNS) plays a key role in advancing the state's vision for the steel sector through the modernization of production methods and the enhancement of efficiency. The outcomes of these meetings and consultations will serve as the foundation for further technical and economic studies, defining priorities and specific areas for the partnership.
Both parties have committed to continuing their collaborative efforts according to an established timeline. The Chinese group is expected to present the final technological design for the project, a draft memorandum of understanding on the partnership, and a detailed roadmap for project implementation before the end of September. This entire undertaking aligns with a broader national vision to revive strategic industrial assets and cultivate a more integrated and competitive steel industry, thereby strengthening national production, increasing local integration levels, supporting processing industries, and ultimately consolidating Algeria’s industrial sovereignty.
