Algeria Bound

Algeria began 2026 with a limited adjustment to domestic fuel prices, a move authorities say is necessary to secure supply and sustain distribution networks while maintaining state subsidies. The increase triggered a short nationwide transport strike, with taxi drivers and freight operators protesting higher operating costs and new road regulations. Following emergency talks with government officials, unions agreed to suspend the strike after commitments were made on fare revisions, legislative adjustments, and support measures, allowing transport services to resume ahead of the school reopening.

Algeria’s 2026 finance law points to a renewed infrastructure investment cycle centered on rail transport, water systems, and national connectivity. With more than $10 billion allocated across rail, roads, ports, airports, and hydraulic infrastructure, the budget reflects a continued reliance on state-led capital spending to support industrial expansion, resource logistics, and regional integration. Major rail corridors linked to mining exports and southern connectivity underscore Algeria’s focus on long-horizon infrastructure assets, creating potential opportunities for contractors, equipment suppliers, engineering firms, and financing partners operating in large-scale public works.

Saudi–Emirati tensions over Yemen have reignited a debate about how the United Arab Emirates projects power beyond the Gulf, particularly across Africa and the Maghreb. The public rupture with Saudi Arabia over Yemen has drawn attention to a broader pattern in which Abu Dhabi is accused of using proxy actors, military support, media influence, and selective alliances to shape outcomes in fragile conflict zones. From Libya and Sudan to the Western Sahara file, the UAE has emerged as a consequential external actor whose involvement often intersects with local rivalries, unresolved conflicts, and competing regional interests.

Ride-hailing has returned to the political agenda in North Africa, reopening questions governments have been trying to resolve for more than a decade. At the center of the renewed debate is the controlled return of Uber to Morocco, a move that reflects a broader regional recalibration rather than a shift toward liberalization. Inside the sector in Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.