Public-Private Partnership is Key to Algeria's Competitiveness
GE called for stronger public-private partnership to support Algeria's roadmap for economic diversification and encourage further localization at GE Day Algeria. The event consisted of a panel discussion and an exhibition, which showcases the Company's diverse and innovative solutions in water, energy, healthcare, oil and gas, transportation and aviation as well as service offerings for the industrial sectors.
The panel included prominent public and private leaders including Dr. Karim Djoudi, Minister of Finance, Mr. Abdelkrim Mensouri, Director, National Agency of Investment Development and Mr. Isaad Rabrab, President & CEO, CEVITAL. The leaders discussed the continued importance of the public and private sector collaboration to strengthen Algeria's economic diversification and competitiveness.
"GE has been present in Algeria for more than 45 years. Our 250 employees in the different businesses are providing sustainable solutions to Algeria as well as to the region. We hire locally and develop local talent through training and providing challenging assignments. We look forward to growing our foothold in the country through more private public partnerships," said Nabil Habayeb, President & CEO, Middle East & Africa in his opening remarks.
Habayeb further elaborated on public-private partnerships (PPPs) and described that they are contracts between public sector institutions and a private entity where the corporate assumes a substantial financial, technical and operational risk in the design, financing, building and operation of a project.
In Algeria, GE has partnered with local entities to address the needs of the country. The rapid urbanization of Algiers placed major strains on the city infrastructure, in particular its water supply. As a result businesses and residents often experienced water rationing. In 2008, GE completed the Hamma Seawater Desalination Plant in Algiers. This project was funded by
Hamma Water Desalination SpA, a joint venture between GE and Algerian Energy Company. This is the largest plant of its kind in Africa and provides 25 percent of Algiers' drinking water today.
A long-standing partner for Algeria's energy needs, GE's Energy business supplies more than 70 percent of the gas turbines operating in the country. Our F-class gas turbine technology will help power the Koudiet Eddraouch power plant being built in El-Tarf province, 700 kilometers east of Algiers. This new plant is expected to produce 1,200 megawatts of power, which would increase Algeria's current installed generation capacity by approximately 18 percent. As one of the largest combined-cycle power plants in the region, the project would help to meet Algeria's electricity demand, which is growing at the rate of more than seven percent per year, according to the Commission of Electrical Regulation for Gas.
Natural gas is the backbone of the Algerian economy. With Sonatrach and Sonelgaz, GE's Oil & Gas business established ALGESCO, an engineering services joint venture that serves the oil and gas and power generation industries. GE is inaugurating the state-of-the-art ALEGSCO Service Center in Boufarik, 35 Kilometers from Algiers later this year. The facility is a center of excellence for turbomachinery services, which will provide a wide range of advanced technologies to help Algeria increase its oil and gas capacity. It is also is the largest GE Oil & Gas service center in the world.
Increasing access to public healthcare is one of the key initiatives for the Algerian government. GE's Healthcare business has been operating in Algeria directly since 2008, serving both the public and private sectors. The Company is a market leader in a number of products including magnetic resonance (MR), computed tomography (CT), vascular imaging and nuclear medicine. GE's healthymagination initiative, which aims to increase access, reduce costs and improve quality of healthcare, is in line with Algeria's needs, creating opportunities for further collaboration in the area of healthcare.
After highlighting some of the GE footprints in Algeria, Habayeb concluded by saying "We believe in localization, technology and knowledge transfer and capability building. GE has been committed to and will continue to support Algeria's economic growth. We look forward to building new partnerships to help the country become more competitive."
GE has been growing significantly in Africa. In 2009, GE's revenues in the region were US $3.6 billion. The Company has been in Africa for more than 100 years and today is active in more than 35 countries with around 1,500 employees on the continent.
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About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is a diversified infrastructure, finance and media company taking on the world's toughest challenges. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, medical imaging, and television programming, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com.
Justus Waimiri