M'sian Companies Pursuing Projects In Algeria And Libya

[tolibya]

KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 (Bernama) -- Twelve Malaysian companies participating in a specialised marketing mission to Algeria and Libya have secured sales of RM58 million of construction-related services and products.

The mission, from June 30 to July 7, was organised by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) in collaboration with the Construction Industry Development Board and the Professional Services Development Corporation.

In a statement Tuesday, Matrade said it arranged for the Malaysian companies to meet with 37 Algerian and 31 Libyan companies.

During the business-matching sessions, several business proposals and specific construction projects were identified and discussed.

Several offers were made by local property developers and public housing authorities to jointly develop residential and commercial centres, universities, hospitals, schools, sport complexes, research and development centres, roads, highways and bridges, Matrade said.

During the business seminar in Algeria, senior officials from the relevant ministries and agencies highlighted opportunities in the construction sector.

These included the construction of 1.5 million units of houses under the social housing scheme, desalination plants to supply portable water, information and communications technology (ICT), and the township development in the Sidi Abdellah new township and cyberpark, oil and gas pipelines, hospitals and energy transmissions.

To fund the massive infrastructure projects, the Algerian government has allocated a huge budget of US$60 billion under the Complementary Plan for Growth Support (2005-2009) programme.

Matrade said in Libya, Malaysian companies were invited to participate in the construction of 400,000 apartments and houses in Tripoli, Benghazi and Tajura, hospitals, hotels, tourism complexes, water treatments plants and other infrastructure projects such as bridges, highways and roads.

It added that the Libyan government has allocated over US$20 billion to fund new housing and residential projects, commercial complexes, public amenities and infrastructure as part of its social programme to improve the country's standard of living.

-- BERNAMA