The record of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is not good, repeatedly stated by many economists, who lament the dependence of Algeria against hydrocarbons. They represent 98% of exports and oil taxes covers 75% of budget revenues. In these times of crisis, the volatility of oil prices weakened the country further, so that the subject has been a central theme of the presidential campaign. All candidates advocate a diversified economy. The hydrocarbons sector is isolated from the rest of the economy, whose population does not receive the benefits, says one expert.
For several months, the government points to the bill of cereal, milk and medicine – according to official figures, has increased by 75% in one year, from $ 4.49 billion (3.39 billion euros) in 2007 to 7,820,000,000 dollars (5.91 billion euros) in 2008. The trend is the same for food products, whose bill came to $ 8 billion (6 billion euros) in 2008, against 2.5 billion dollars (1.89 billion euros) in 2003. For the Algerian Minister of Industry, Hamid Temmar, this figure is dangerous. It is unusual that Algeria imports from countries less well placed for agricultural products should instead be exported, says judge il.Un important sector informelEn on pharmaceuticals, the government has taken radical measures in deciding in October to stop importing drugs manufactured locally. At this rate, the oil revenues, even with a significant price per barrel, increasingly insufficient to preserve the medium term, our financial independence and to ensure continuity of our development, fears Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
Unemployment figures are falsified accuses another, advancing a figure of 30% for 2008 instead of the 11.3% official. President Bouteflika has promised to create 3 million jobs, but many took refuge in the informal economy. Young people prefer the smuggling activity to a formal work where they will be much less well paid, notes, fatalistic, an observer. The weight of the informal sector in Algeria account for 30% to 50% of PIB.M.-C.