Algeria cancels contractor’s construction contract

Japanese contractor Cojaal's contract for the construction of a stretch of Algeria’s East-West highway has been cancelled. The Algerian Ministry for Public Works terminated the contract as the firm had not met the requirements of the initial agreement when the deal was signed. The exact cause of this contract cancellation has not been revealed and nor is it clear if this development will bar the firm from tendering for future projects in the country. Much of Algeria’s East-West highway is complete but some sections remain incomplete. The quality of the work carried out by some of the parties involved in various sections of the project has been thrown into question. Algeria’s investment in transport infrastructure has been not insignificant and further highway projects are underway. However a number of firms have been barred from tendering for future works over poor performance on earlier projects.