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Algeria holds talks with Chinese nuclear firm head

30 April 2025

Algerian State Minister and Energy, Mines and Renewable Energies MInister, Mohamed Arkab, met with China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) president, Wang Yongge in Algiers on 26 April.

According to a local media report citing a ministry statement, the two reviewed the ongoing cooperation between Algeria's Commissariat for Atomic Energy (Comena) and CNNC,  focusing on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, its medical applications, and prospects for future development.

They also assessed the progress of the previously established specialised working group tasked with preparing and launching a radioactive isotopes production project in Algeria.

This project holds strategic importance in supporting the national healthcare sector, particularly in diagnosis and radiation therapy, with a special emphasis on cancer treatment.

MEED understands that Yongge expressed his firm's "readiness" to support Algeria in implementing the radioactive isotope production project.

MEED reported in May 2013 that Algeria was planning to build its first nuclear power plant by 2025 as part of efforts to meet the rapidly growing demand for electricity.

“We plan to have our first nuclear power plant in 2025 and we are in the process of working on this project,” Youcef Yousfi, the country’s Energy and Mines Minister at the time, was quoted in the Algerian state media outlet Algerie Presse Service (APS).

 Algeria has uranium reserves of 29,000 tonnes, which is enough to supply two 1,000MW nuclear power plants for 60 years, said Yousfi.

That project has yet to move beyond the planning stage.

Relations between China and Algeria have become increasingly close over recent years.

In November 2023, China’s Chery Automobile Company said it plans to build a car plant in the province of Bordj Bou Arreridj with a preliminary capacity of 24,000 units a year.

In July the same year, President Xi Jinping held talks with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and agreed to increase economic cooperation between the two countries.

The two leaders said they would deepen cooperation in sectors including infrastructure, petrochemicals, mining and agriculture.

They also said that they would expand cooperation in high-tech fields including aerospace, nuclear energy and renewable energy to nurture new growth drivers of cooperation.

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Jennifer Aguinaldo

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