Trade Winds - Algeria Resources
Algeria’s Competitive Landscape
Given the intricacy of the Algerian bureaucracy, language barriers, and the difficulty securing meetings with Algerian government officials, U.S. exporters need to form partnerships with qualified and reputable Algerian agents and distributors who understand the business culture, maintain reliable government contacts, and possess industry expertise.
Since English is not widely spoken, the Commercial Service can refer U.S. exporters to local translators. Quick sales are not frequent in this market. Companies must invest significant time to persuade Algerian decision-makers to adopt new solutions, particularly if they involve new technologies or concepts. U.S. firms should, therefore, consider the Algerian market from a long-term perspective. The Algerian government favors foreign companies that contribute to the country’s long-term development in terms of employment and technology transfer.
U.S. firms working directly with Algerian partners, rather than managing their relationship through one of the neighboring countries, have reported better relationships. Many have stated that access to opportunities, especially government-related projects, dramatically increases when managed directly from the United States via a local partner (rather than managing via France or Morocco). Companies should be aware the Algerian government limits access to specific sites and offices if the company representative is from a neighboring country.
