Algeria and Vietnam recently formalised a series of economic agreements that create immediate opportunities for Algerian entrepreneurs, business founders, and the diaspora. According to vietnamnews.vn, the two governments signed memoranda of understanding in Hanoi on 18 November 2025 covering agriculture, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and digital start-ups. The deals follow a state visit by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and a business delegation of 80 executives.
The agricultural accord establishes a joint venture between Algeria’s state-owned Groupe Cosider and Vietnam’s Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) to cultivate 5 000 hectares of rice and vegetables in southern Algeria. HAGL will invest USD 45 million over three years, while Cosider provides land and logistics. The project targets an annual output of 25 000 tonnes of rice, half of which will be exported to West Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) rules. Entrepreneurs can apply to supply seeds, fertilisers, and irrigation equipment through a tender process that opens in January 2026.
In renewable energy, Vietnam’s Trung Nam Group and Algeria’s Sonelgaz agreed to build a 500 MW solar farm in Adrar province. The USD 380 million facility will use bifacial panels manufactured in Vietnam and is scheduled to reach commercial operation in late 2027. Sonelgaz has reserved 20 % of the construction contracts for Algerian SMEs, creating a pipeline of subcontracting opportunities in civil works, electrical installation, and maintenance. The project also includes a training centre in Ouargla that will certify 1 200 Algerian technicians in solar installation and grid integration by 2028.
Pharmaceutical cooperation centres on technology transfer. Vietnam’s Imexpharm will license its generic formulations for diabetes and hypertension to Algeria’s Saidal Group. The agreement allows Saidal to produce 15 million units annually at its Constantine plant, reducing Algeria’s import bill by an estimated USD 60 million. Local entrepreneurs can partner with Saidal as distributors or invest in packaging and cold-chain logistics. The first production line is expected to be operational by mid-2026.
Digital start-ups are addressed through a USD 10 million venture fund managed by Algeria’s Agence Nationale de Soutien à l’Emploi des Jeunes (ANSEJ) and Vietnam’s National Innovation Centre (NIC). The fund will invest in Algerian start-ups that use Vietnamese digital platforms in fintech, e-commerce, and agri-tech. Applications open in March 2026; priority will be given to founders who can demonstrate a clear path to AfCFTA markets. The fund also includes a six-month accelerator programme in Hanoi, with flights and accommodation covered for selected teams.
For the Algerian diaspora, the agreements offer three concrete pathways. First, the Vietnamese government has committed to issuing 1 000 five-year multiple-entry business visas annually to Algerian nationals. Second, the Algerian Ministry of Commerce will open a trade office in Ho Chi Minh City in early 2026 to help diaspora entrepreneurs navigate Vietnamese regulations. Third, the Algerian Export Promotion Agency (ALGEX) will launch an online portal in January 2026 that matches Algerian exporters with Vietnamese importers, with a focus on dates, olive oil, and phosphate-based fertilisers.
The deals align with Algeria’s 2024–2028 economic diversification plan, which targets USD 5 billion in non-hydrocarbon exports by 2028. Vietnam’s role as a manufacturing hub for Southeast Asia and its existing trade corridors into Africa make it a strategic partner. Current bilateral trade stands at USD 450 million, with Algeria exporting crude oil and importing electronics, textiles, and machinery. The new agreements aim to double this figure within three years.
Entrepreneurs should note that the Algerian government has set aside USD 150 million in low-interest loans through the Banque Extérieure d’Algérie (BEA) to support SMEs involved in the joint ventures. Applications for these loans will be processed through the Agence Nationale de Développement de l’Investissement (ANDI) starting in February 2026. The loans cover up to 70 % of project costs, with a maximum term of 12 years and a two-year grace period.
Key takeaway for entrepreneurs
Algerian business founders can now access USD 45 million in agricultural contracts, USD 76 million in solar subcontracts, and USD 10 million in digital start-up funding through Vietnam partnerships. The Algerian diaspora gains 1 000 annual business visas and a new trade office in Ho Chi Minh City, while low-interest loans of up to USD 150 million are available for SMEs entering these sectors.
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