Local integration: Sonelgaz signs cooperation agreements with three ministerial departments

BY: Hana Saada

ALGIERS- The Sonelgaz Group signed, on Tuesday in Algiers, several cooperation agreements with three ministries within the framework of strengthening local integration and the involvement of scientific research in the economic sector.

The public electricity and gas group has signed cooperation agreements with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Ministry of the Knowledge Economy, Start-ups and Micro-enterprises and the Ministry of Vocational Training and Education in the presence of ministers from the three sectors, reported the APS agency.

The cooperation agreement between Sonelgaz and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research was signed by the central director of research and development within Sonelgaz, Wassila Gasseb and the general director of scientific research and development technology within the ministry, Professor Mohamed Bouhicha.

This agreement concerns the development of research projects within the framework of bringing the university and research institutes closer to the economic sector.

The agreement between Sonelgaz and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Start-ups and Micro-enterprises was signed by the representative of Sonelgaz, Ms. Gasseb, and the general manager of the public startup accelerator “Algeria- Venture,” Sid Ali Zerrouki.

This agreement aims to support the acquisition by Sonelgaz and its subsidiaries of innovative solutions offered by startups operating in the energy sector, in particular through the Algerian Company of the Electricity and Gas Industry (SAIEG).

The agreement signed between Sonelgaz and the Ministry of Vocational Training and Education was signed by the Executive Director of Human Resources of Sonelgaz, Rachid Abdessmed, and the Director of Continuing Education and Partnership Relations within the Ministry , Mourad Necib.

The purpose of this agreement is to strengthen collaboration between the ministry’s training centers across the country and Sonelgaz, in particular to develop training niches for the benefit of young people in line with the needs of the public group.

Sonelgaz: 84% integration rate in distribution

In addition, the CEO of the Sonelgaz Group, Mouard Adjel, said during a press briefing on the sidelines of this signing ceremony, that Sonelgaz has made “a qualitative step” in reducing the import bill, in particular in the distribution sector where the integration rate exceeds 84%. He said that Sonelgaz aims to increase this rate to more than 90% by 2025.

In addition, since 2005, the number of industrialists in the national electricity sector has increased from 9 to 115 industrialists, according to Mr. Adjel. The number of manufacturers in the gas sector increased from 6 to 31 manufacturers over the same period. “Thanks to the national capacities, we can say that we have achieved sufficiency in terms of the equipment of the electricity networks across the country,” he further noted.