Tindouf Free Trade Zone Set to Launch to Boost West African Trade

Linked to the Mediterranean by rail, the far southwestern Algerian region of Tindouf will soon house a free trade zone directed toward Mauritania and West African nations. This facility is designed to foster international commerce and boost national exports to these regions. The impending completion before the end of the current year was declared on Thursday, November 5, by the Minister of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion, Kamel Rezig, during a parliamentary session at the Council of the Nation. Spanning a vast area of 200 hectares, the integrated hub includes six large warehouses, extensive exhibition spaces, a cargo inspection center, a living base, administrative facilities for customs, banking, and insurance, as well as security and service infrastructures alongside a healthcare center, providing economic operators with a comprehensive working environment. The foundational stone for this zone, situated near the Mauritanian border crossing, was laid in 2024 by the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and his Mauritanian counterpart, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, with construction works concluding two years later. Additionally, the minister highlighted ongoing intersectoral coordination to successfully finalize the handover and operational launch of the logistical hub, noting that a decree project establishing a public institution dedicated to managing free zones is presently submitted to the General Secretariat of the Government.