🇩🇿AlgeriaNorth Africa
JAC-Emin Auto plant in Algeria transitions to large-scale production
via Algérie3603 min read
The JAC-Emin Auto industrial complex in Tamazoura, Algeria, is moving from testing to large-scale industrial production after several years of preparation. This development was confirmed during a recent follow-up visit by representatives from the Algerian Agency for Investment Promotion AAPI, accompanied by tax and urban planning services, and site officials. The delegation toured the production units and observed initial assembly operations. The plant, spanning 33 hectares, has finalized most of its equipment and infrastructure, featuring four industrial lines for chassis assembly, bodywork, painting, and finishing. The facilities have passed safety and environmental compliance checks, and the homologation process for the first locally produced vehicles is underway. The JAC 1040S utility truck will be the first model, with deliveries expected by July 2026. The site has received nearly 3,500 chassis, with an additional 4,500 units arriving soon. The only remaining step before full-scale production is obtaining the provisional import program for SKD kits. The plant will produce a range of vehicles, including utility trucks, specialized industrial vehicles, pick-ups, and urban and interurban buses, with the first buses scheduled for September 2026. Ultimately, two main lines will assemble up to 300 vehicles per day, aiming for an annual capacity of 100,000 units at full operation. The complex has created 500 direct jobs in its initial phase, with projections for 1,500 additiona
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Algérie360.
Malaysian automaker Proton is in strategic discussions to establish a presence in Algeria, potentially assembling vehicles in an existing factory in Oran with a production capacity of 20,000 units per year. This initiative follows a meeting involving the Malaysian Ambassador, officials from DRB-HICOM, Proton, and Modenas, as well as the director of the Automobile Plant Algeria in Oran. The Algerian automotive market is estimated at nearly 1.2 million vehicles annually, attracting increasing interest from foreign manufacturers. Noura Mohamed, director of Automotive Plant Algeria, proposed making an existing plant available to DRB-Hicom for Proton's assembly operations. Oran was chosen due to its established automotive infrastructure. DRB-Hicom has initiated a study to assess the necessary investments and technologies. Additionally, Modenas, a Malaysian group, plans to strengthen its presence in Algeria by manufacturing motorcycle chassis, viewing Algeria as a regional hub for access to African, European, and Arab markets. This dual initiative highlights growing Malaysian investment interest in Algeria, coinciding with other major industrial projects like Opel's plan to produce engines in the country.
Algeria and South Korea have reached an agreement to establish direct air links for the first time, allowing for up to four flights per week between the two countries. This development follows an announcement by the Korean Ministry of Transport regarding a bilateral agreement on new traffic rights. While an air services agreement was signed in 2005 and activated in 2009, direct flights had not materialized due to a lack of negotiations on traffic rights, as stated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport. The new agreement grants both nations the right to operate up to four weekly flights for both passengers and cargo. This new route is significant as South Korea previously had only one direct entry point to Africa, the Incheon-Addis Ababa route. The Korean ministry anticipates that this agreement will attract traffic not only from Algeria but also transit passengers from across Africa and some Mediterranean countries traveling to Korea. The agreement offers flexibility, allowing airlines to utilize all airports in both countries, including regional ones. Air Algérie, already established in Asia with routes to China and Malaysia, is expected to further expand its long-haul network with this new connection to the South Korean market, strengthening its role between Africa and Asia.
Must ReadSpanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez made a brief official visit to Algiers, his first since October 2020, to engage in high-level discussions with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and the Prime Minister. The visit focused on reactivating the 2002 friendship, good neighborliness, and cooperation treaty, which was frozen in 2022 following a diplomatic crisis over Spain's stance on Western Sahara. Energy was a key agenda item, with Spain seeking to secure natural gas supplies from Algeria via the Medgaz pipeline and exploring future cooperation in green hydrogen. The Spanish delegation included the Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, along with leaders from major energy companies like Naturgy, Repsol, Enagás, and Moeve. A joint Algerian-Spanish business forum was also held to boost economic ties, which suffered significantly after the 2022 rupture, with Spanish exports to Algeria plummeting from 1.9 billion euros in 2021 to 332 million in 2023. Discussions also covered regional issues such as the situation in the Sahel-Saharan zone, security coordination, and irregular migration, particularly concerning the Canary Islands. The visit marks the culmination of a gradual diplomatic thaw between the two nations, aiming to restore their strategic partnership to pre-crisis levels.