The International Spectator - Reign of Algeria's Bouteflika marred by graft scandals
Corruption, a recurring scourge for Algeria, has risen to the forefront of public life during President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s rule, fuelled by soaring oil prices and an explosion in imports.
The judiciary has opened a graft probe centred on state-run energy giant Sonatrach, which has amassed nearly $700 billion in earnings since Bouteflika took office, with political leaders among those named in the investigation.
“Oil prices have soared during Bouteflika’s 15 years in power. Oil wealth is the cause of the spreading corruption,” said Djilali Hadjadj, head of the Algerian Association to Combat Corruption, an NGO.
“Those close to the presidential circle and the (political) system are generally involved at different levels,” Hadjadj told AFP, estimating that tens of billions of dollars have been pocketed at different levels.
But Abdelmalek Sellal, who resigned as prime minister to head Bouteflika’s re-election campaign on April 17, retorts that “you can’t accuse us of failing to fight corruption”.
Two thousand cases were investigated in 2012 alone, according to Sellal.
Since 2009, a string of graft cases have come to light, most notably one involving former energy minister Chakib Khelil.
A Bouteflika protege, Khelil ran the ministry for a decade until 2010, when a corruption scandal at Sonatrach forced him to resign.
Between 2000 and 2013, Sonatrach reaped around $670 billion in earnings, which enabled Algeria to finance some $370 billion worth of imports, repay $40 billion in debts and accumulate $200 billion in foreign currency reserves.
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Corruption, a recurring scourge for Algeria, has risen to the forefront of public life during President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s rule, fuelled by soaring oil prices and an explosion in imports.
The judiciary has opened a graft probe centred on state-run energy giant Sonatrach, which has amassed nearly $700 billion in earnings since Bouteflika took office, with political leaders among those named in the investigation.
“Oil prices have soared during Bouteflika’s 15 years in power. Oil wealth is the cause of the spreading corruption,” said Djilali Hadjadj, head of the Algerian Association to Combat Corruption, an NGO.
“Those close to the presidential circle and the (political) system are generally involved at different levels,” Hadjadj told AFP, estimating that tens of billions of dollars have been pocketed at different levels.
But Abdelmalek Sellal, who resigned as prime minister to head Bouteflika’s re-election campaign on April 17, retorts that “you can’t accuse us of failing to fight corruption”.
Two thousand cases were investigated in 2012 alone, according to Sellal.
Since 2009, a string of graft cases have come to light, most notably one involving former energy minister Chakib Khelil.
A Bouteflika protege, Khelil ran the ministry for a decade until 2010, when a corruption scandal at Sonatrach forced him to resign.
Between 2000 and 2013, Sonatrach reaped around $670 billion in earnings, which enabled Algeria to finance some $370 billion worth of imports, repay $40 billion in debts and accumulate $200 billion in foreign currency reserves.
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