Algeria loses 51,000 jobs due to closure of factories

As long queues formed outside its offices, Algérie Poste denied responsibility for the lack of currency and blamed the Bank of Algeria [Flickr/Magharebia/Hayam El Hadi]

About 51,000 jobs were lost in the Algerian market during 2020 due to the closure of factories after the imposition of coronavirus restrictions and due to political factors, the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security announced yesterday.

The Algeria Press Service quoted the Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Al-Hashemi Jaaboub, saying that 51,000 jobs were lost last year after car parts and home appliance manufacturers were forced to close last year.

Several owners of European and Asian car assembly factories, mostly with ties to former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, are being prosecuted on corruption charges, some have been handed prison terms of more than ten years.

The minister also revealed that 37,000 university degree holders, who used to be temporary employees, received permanent work contracts over the past three months.

According to previous data from the Ministry of Statistics and Forward Planning, unemployment rates exceeded 13 per cent in 2020, reaching 23 per cent among university graduates and 27 per cent among the youth.

“Economic development requires everyone’s collaboration at all levels in order to contribute to creating job opportunities and employing young university graduates,” the minister concluded.

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