VOL. XLIV

No. 12

19-March-2001

ALGERIA

EU Free Trade Agreement Expected To Cost Algeria $ 1.4Bn Yearly

Central Bank of Algeria (CBA) Governor 'Abd al-Wahab Keramane announced on 11 March that the CBA expects the free trade agreement currently being negotiated with the EU to cost the Algerian treasury $1.4bn/year in lost customs revenue. According to Algerian Radio, Mr Keramane called for this loss to be offset by converting part of Algerias foreign debt into direct investment. He also said that...