The unilateral suspension by Algeria of the Treaty of Friendship with Spain, justified by Algiers in the recognition by the Government of Pedro Sánchez of the legal status that Morocco gives to Western Sahara, affects trade relations between the two countries at a time in which the North African country has ceased to be the first supplier of gas to Spain.
Although historically Algeria had been the main exporter of gas to the Peninsula, this trend has reversed since the beginning of this year and that position is now occupied by the United States. According to data from Enagás, in the first quarter of the year natural gas imports from the United States have multiplied almost sixfold (459.9%) in relation to the same period of the previous year, according to the Europa Press agency.
For its part, gas purchases from Algeria have been reduced by 35.35% in the first three months of 2022, even though Algiers, through the public company Sonatrach, continues to be a prominent supplier by covering 26, 1% of total consumption in Spain so far this year.
Some figures that break a historical trend that peaked in 2021. As a whole, Algerian imports to Spain (around 91% under the heading of fuels and lubricants, basically natural gas) amounted to 4,768 million euros in that period. euros, almost double compared to 2020 and 24% more compared to 2019, the year before the pandemic.
A trend that, to a lesser extent and in the opposite direction, also occurred with regard to Spanish exports: in 2021 they amounted to 1,887 million euros, 1.5% less than 2020 and 35% less than in 2019.
All this means that the trade balance between the two countries is clearly unfavorable to Spain, In that 2021 it ended with a negative balance of 2,880 million euros, according to Icex data.
In the first quarter of this year, imports from Algeria to Spain approached 1,790 million (1,624 corresponding to fuel), compared to exports that barely amounted to 473 million, in this case according to updated data from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism.
Beyond fuels and lubricants, Spain imports from Algeria chemical products (3.8%), fertilizers (2.7%) and, to a lesser extent, oilseeds and industrial plants (0.8%) and glass and its manufactures (0.4%).
For its part, Spain exported goods worth 473 million euros to Algeria between January and March 2022, which represents 0.5% of its total exports during the quarter. The main exported goods are fats, animal or vegetable oil (12.1%); paper and cardboard (11.4%); machines and mechanical devices (7.6%), plastic materials and their manufactures (6%) and electrical devices and material (6%).
