Workers’ Party Backs Public Investment Recovery
Algeria is undertaking steps to recover public investments associated with the United Arab Emirates. This initiative follows discussions between the Workers' Party, led by its Secretary General Louisa Hanoune, and the President of the Republic. The core focus of these deliberations has been to ensure the security of public institutions and to preserve national production capabilities within Algeria.
The process of reclaiming these investments is acknowledged as complex, potentially involving recourse to international arbitration. Hanoune specifically cited an instance where an Emirati entity acquired a 50% stake in the Algiers port station. Addressing such cases necessitates a precise legal and sovereign approach to safeguard public institutions and re-establish national control over these assets. The Workers' Party views the objectives of some Emirati investments as potentially weakening local productive capacities and reducing the role of national institutions.
The Workers' Party has consistently advocated for a cessation of relations with the UAE, arguing that their continuation poses risks extending beyond bilateral ties to the wider Mashreq, Maghreb, African Sahel, and Palestine regions. The party has also voiced concerns that investments could be leveraged for "infiltration" within Algeria's national framework, linking this to regional roles attributed to the UAE. The party maintains its position that these relations should conclude.
Despite this stance, the Workers' Party affirms its support for establishing economic relations and partnerships with diverse nations, including the United States. However, it stresses that any such relationships must fundamentally protect Algeria's national interests, ensure the security of its public institutions, and maintain its productive capacities. This position places the issue of Emirati investments within a broader debate on Algeria's economic sovereignty, encompassing the ownership of public entities and control over key productive sectors.
