Algerian Minister of Post, ITC and Digital, Iman Houda Faraoun on Thursday said her country does not accept to open the e-market to foreign companies specializing in electronic commerce in order to preserve national economy and sovereignty.
“We recognize the weak control of technology in Algeria, and this is a reality, but we will not sell the country to foreign traders over suspicious suggestions, conducted by some quasi-experts, and which likely to jeopardize national sovereignty and economy,” said Faraoun while answering MPs questions over e-commerce Bill.
She further disclaimed “fallacy” reports alleging that Algeria “is on the bottom list in African in terms of the flow of the internet.
She said in this regard: “We do not need a foreign operator to manage e-commerce, and we will not do that under any circumstances.”
Faraoun concluded that electronic payment platform will only be endowed by state run banks and post offices alongside the state run telecoms operator Algeria Telecom, in a bid to avoid any manipulation of funds.
E-commerce bill was approved by the Council of Ministers and will come into force immediately after being approved by the parliament.
