Transport

Meeting the country’s growing transport needs remains a priority, thus the national development plan 2015-19 allocates €6bn to upgrading, modernising and expanding air, rail, road and maritime capacities. Foreign investment is actively being sought to incorporate the latest technologies and know-how into the modernisation process. However, efforts to expand the sector face some challenges, such as a cumbersome and opaque bureaucracy, the effect of which is acutely felt in certain segments such as logistics, and the drop in international oil prices. However, evidence suggests that the authorities are actively seeking solutions to overcome these issues. The transport and communications sector remains an important contributor to the economy, accounting for 14% of GDP in 2017, up from 13.4% in 2016. This chapter contains an interview with Abdelghani Zalène, Minister of Public Works and Transport.