The construction of the new terminal at Algiers Airport by main contractor China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) will soon be completed.

Algiers Airport, officially named Algiers Houari Boumediene Airport after the former Algerian head of state, is the busiest in Algeria. Capacity will be increased by 12 million passengers per year from 2018 with the new terminal, making the airport one of the largest in Africa.

The construction of a new terminal is part of the infrastructure projects worth US$156 billion planned by Algeria in various key sectors, such as transportation, housing, public works and water. China is heavily involved as part of its Belt & Road Initiative (BRI), Algerian state company Groupe public des services portuaires (Port Services Public Group) is currently building a mega container port at Hamdania 70 kilometres west of Algiers, together with China State Construction Corporation and China Harbour Engineering Company.

CSCEC and CHEC will have a joint 49% stake in the operating company, with the Algerian Port Authority holding 51%. The US$3.3 billion project is backed by debt provided by Chinese banks.

In early September, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, following the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Xi said that China and Algeria were experiencing a rapid growth in their comprehensive strategic partnership, and that China wishes to continue deepening cooperation in infrastructure and other areas under the framework of the BRI.