Guest post: Sawiris – Algeria must respect investment treaties | beyondbrics

Most governments in North Africa acknowledge the role of foreign direct investment in relieving poverty and encouraging economic growth – and in helping countries to respond to the challenges raised by the recent political upheavals in the region.

This is why the behaviour of the Algerian government, in threatening to rip up legal commercial agreements and investment treaties and in targeting one of the country’s largest foreign investors with a campaign of harassment and interference, is so damaging. Its actions could have a devastating impact on the business climate in Algeria and cast a shadow over the investment prospects for the whole region.

I am an international businessman and chairman of Weather Investments, which was a shareholder in Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH), a telecoms investment company.

* username: rupertbu