Air Algerie Incurs USD130 Million Loss Due to COVID-19

An Air Algerie Boeing 737-8b6 plane is seen on the tarmac at the Lyon-Saint-Exupery airport in Colombier-Saugnieu near Lyon, France, March 14, 2019. REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot/Files
An Air Algerie Boeing 737-8b6 plane is seen on the tarmac at the Lyon-Saint-Exupery airport in Colombier-Saugnieu near Lyon, France, March 14, 2019. REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot/Files
TT

Air Algerie Incurs USD130 Million Loss Due to COVID-19

An Air Algerie Boeing 737-8b6 plane is seen on the tarmac at the Lyon-Saint-Exupery airport in Colombier-Saugnieu near Lyon, France, March 14, 2019. REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot/Files
An Air Algerie Boeing 737-8b6 plane is seen on the tarmac at the Lyon-Saint-Exupery airport in Colombier-Saugnieu near Lyon, France, March 14, 2019. REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot/Files

Algerian Finance Minister Ayman bin Abdul Rahman said that Air Algerie has incurred losses estimated at USD130 million due to the suspension of flights during the coronavirus pandemic.

During a meeting on evaluating the consequences of the pandemic and its impact on the economy, chaired by Algerian Prime Minister Abdulaziz Jarad, Bin Abdul Rahman said that maritime transport losses have exceeded USD700,000.

He further announced allocating more than USD500 million to fight the pandemic.

Jarad noted that the country was undergoing a tragic and unprecedented economic condition ensuing from the structural crisis by former governments, the collapse of oil price, and the impact of the novel coronavirus.

He affirmed that Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune was committed to backing the affected institutions, whether public or private. In addition, he noted that the precautionary measures have struck various economic sectors mainly commerce, hospitality, and construction.

Jarad called for an objective assessment of COVID-10 repercussions, noting that the economic and social revival would occur through establishing balanced institutions and achieving a purchasing power for households to support the economic dynamic.



China Seeks to Bolster Ports and Aviation Hubs in Western Regions

The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022.  (Reuters)
The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022. (Reuters)
TT

China Seeks to Bolster Ports and Aviation Hubs in Western Regions

The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022.  (Reuters)
The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022. (Reuters)

China said on Sunday it would launch 15 measures to bolster the development of its western provinces with the construction of logistical infrastructure such as ports and aviation hubs.

The General Administration of Customs said the measures would enhance the integration of rail, air, river and sea links in China's west, state media reported.

The measures are to include enhancing international aviation hubs in cities including Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Xi'an and Urumqi, while developing comprehensive bonded zones, and integrating these with ports and other transport links.

A number of ports would also be built and expanded.

China has long sought to bolster the economic heft of its western regions, which have markedly lagged coastal provinces.

China's western regions comprise around two-thirds of the country's land area and include regions such as Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Xinjiang and Tibet.

China's Politburo last year called for a "new urbanization" of western China to revitalize rural areas, expand poverty alleviation efforts and strengthen energy resources. Efforts have also been made to increase linkages to Europe and South Asia through trade corridors including rail freight routes.