Algerian Radio
The Minister of State, Minister of Hydrocarbons, Mohamed Arkab, alongside the Minister of Mines and Mining Industries, Mourad Hanifi, chaired a coordination meeting in Algiers on Tuesday dedicated to monitoring the progress of the integrated phosphate project in Bled El Hadba and Oued Keberit, according to a statement from the Ministry of Hydrocarbons.
The same source clarified that the meeting—held in the presence of the Secretary of State to the Minister of Mines and Mining Industries, Karima Bekkir Tafer; the CEO of Sonatrach, Noureddine Daoudi; and the CEO of Sonarem, Reda Belhadj, alongside officials from both sectors—was dedicated to reviewing the progress of various components of this strategic project.
The project is part of a partnership between the Sonatrach and Sonarem groups and aims to valorize national phosphate resources by developing an integrated chain including extraction and chemical processing, thereby enhancing the sector's contribution to economic and social development.
The meeting also addressed technical and logistical aspects associated with the project, particularly the exploitation of the Bled El Hadba mine in the wilaya of Tebessa, the phosphate enrichment project, and the construction of a chemical processing complex in Oued Keberit in the wilaya of Souk Ahras, intended for the production of phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers, such as phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, and ammonia.
This project is expected to contribute to meeting national demand for fertilizers while opening export prospects and supporting national food security, the statement added.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the two ministers emphasized the need to intensify coordination among various stakeholders and adhere to the set deadlines for project completion, reflecting the directives of the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, regarding the valorization of natural resources and the strengthening of value-added manufacturing.
