Algeria’s Permanent State of Economic Crisis (1999-2015)
When President Bouteflika came to power in 1999, he sought to liberalise the country’s economy. But these reforms were reversed after only a few years.
The rise in the price of hydrocarbons meant increased investment in infrastructure, but such large projects have above all benefitted foreign companies who have not brought productive investment to Algeria. The drop in hydrocarbon prices is causing fears of a major crisis, which could have political repercussions.
Article published in Politique étrangère, Vol. 80, No. 3, Autumn 2015