(Ecofin Agency) - Huawei’s first assembly plant in Algeria has been officially launched on January 22, 2019.

The launch of this plant built at Oued Smar, in Algiers, was unveiled to the public during a press conference organised for the introduction of the Y7 Prime (assembled at the Oued Smar plant) to the public.

A result of a co-venture between Huawei and Algerian AFGO-TECH, the assembly plant has a production capacity of 15,000 devices monthly, Amine Harzelli, Huawei’s marketing manager in Algeria, revealed. He further indicated that this volume “is nonetheless flexible depending on the market needs”.

Huawei’s decision to open an assembly plant in Algeria was spurred by the ban issued by the government on January 7, 2018, prohibiting the import of mobile phones and 899 other items to equilibrate its trade balance.

Huawei, which currently has 16% market share of the mobile phone commercialisation segment expects to further seduce Algerians with this local presence by the end of 2019.  

According to Huawei, Oued Smar plant employs about hundred collaborators including eighteen engineers trained in Shenzhen, China, to the Huawei’s production techniques and procedures.  

“Equipped with latest generation tools”, the infrastructure could support Huawei in its conquest of the North African market.