Algeria

Bilateral relationship

New Zealand’s relations with Algeria are warm, but relatively slender.  New Zealand is accredited to Algeria from Paris, while Algeria is accredited to New Zealand from Canberra.  The most recent high-level visit to Algeria from New Zealand was undertaken by Trade Minister Hon Phil Goff in January 2008.  There have been no ministerial visits from Algeria to New Zealand in recent years.

Trade

In the year to December 2007 Algeria was New Zealand’s largest export market in Africa and second in the wider Middle East region (behind Saudi Arabia). This trade is dominated by dairy exports. In 2007, milk, butter and cheese accounted for 91 percent of total exports, valued at approximately NZ$245.6 million to the year ending December 2007. Imports from Algeria to New Zealand totalled only NZ$7,000 in the same period.

New Zealand is part of the Algeria WTO Accession Working Party. Bilateral negotiations are ongoing.

 

Key facts

Geography/Demographics*

Official Name - People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria - Land Area - 2,381,741 sq km   Population - 33.9m - Capital City  - Algiers - Language - Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects - Religion - Sunni Muslim (99%), Christian/Jew (1%)

Political*

Political system - Republic - National government - The Federal Executive Council, which is chaired by the President; appointed 30 June 1999 - National legislature - Legislature Bicameral; the lower house, the Assemblée populaire nationale, with 380 members, was first elected in June 1997, replacing the Conseil national de transition set up in May 1994; the upper house, the Conseil de la nation, which has 144 seats, was formed in December 1997, with two-thirds of its members elected through municipal polls and the remainder appointed by the President - Last election - National elections 17 May 2007 (legislative); 27 November 2007 (provincial and municipal councils) - Next election due - Legislative: 2012, Presidential: April 2009 - Head of State - President Abdelaziz Bouteflika - Head of Government - Executive Council of Ministers presided over by the prime minister, who is appointed by the head of state.

Economic*

GDP - US$ 130.8bn - Real GDP growth - 4.6% - Exports - US$59.5bn - Imports - US$ 27.5bn - Current account balance - US$30bn - Gross external debt - US$ 4.4bn

New Zealand Trade**

NZ Exports (FOB) - NZ$323.5 million - Main Exports - Milk powder (83%); butter (7%); cheese (7%) - NZ Imports (CIF) - N/A - Main Imports - N/A

* All figures from the Economist Intelligence Unit April 2008 Country Report.
** Trade figures from Statistics New Zealand December 2008 "Grey Book"

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Representation

The New Zealand Embassy in Paris has been accredited to Algeria since 1986.

The Algerian Embassy in Australia is accredited to New Zealand.

 

Travel advice

The Safetravel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to Algeria [external link].

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