After the surprise publication, last Thursday 29/07/2022 by the Algerian “private” Banking Association (ABEF) of a note addressed to its associates announcing the end of the blockade to the domiciliation of payment documents of imports (and exports) from and to Spain, which had been established by the same method on 08/06/2022,  following the announcement by the Algerian Presidency of the suspension of the treaty of friendship, good-neighbourliness and cooperation, in force between the two countries since 8 October 2002, a series of communiqués and denials have been installed that have only sown confusion.

The media echoed at the time the blockade announced by the ABEF that, although it is effectively a professional association of banks, without powers to establish such a measure, which would correspond to the government through the Ministry of Finance, had an immediate effect on the blockade of international trade operations between Spain and Algeria unable to clear the goods in port.

Last Thursday, at the last minute, the measure was “annulled” by the same procedure: a note from the ABEF to its associates and, again, the media of both countries gave extensive coverage to the issue the next day, Friday, July 30, a holiday in Algeria, and throughout the weekend. The denials occur almost immediately, and also in a “curious” way since the first statement of Saturday, July 30, is from the company SONATRACH, who recalls that the competences in the matter correspond to the government, ignoring that neither the Algerian oil company is competent in the matter …. El País points out that “Algeria disavows its banking employers” in the statement of unblocking bank payments, according to “a note from the Algerian AAEE ministry.

On the ground, on Sunday, July 31, the first working day of the week in Algeria, commercial banks still did not accept direct debit payment documents for trade operations with Spain and those responsible said they “knew nothing about the matter”, amid monumental chaos in the offices in charge of these operations.

There are those who argue that these movements would respond to the pressure that various economic agents would be making on the Algerian government to resolve the situation that is complicating the operation of algerian customs itself and that of not a few local companies, many of them manufacturers, which are supplied with raw and semi-processed materials of Spanish origin.

SOURCES:

APS 30/07/2021: https://www.aps.dz/economie/143367-relations-commerciales-de-l-algerie-avec-l-espagne-aucune-reculade-de-l-etat