* French companies close $7.8b in contracts in Algeria
December 5th, 2007Dec. 4 (Bloomberg) — Alstom SA, Gaz de France SA, Total SA
and Bull SA signed contracts worth more than 5 billion euros
($7.8 billion) in Algeria as part of French President Nicolas
Sarkozy’s three-day visit to the North African country.
The contracts are to build power and petrochemical plants,
buy natural gas and renovate the former French colony’s post
offices. They reflect Sarkozy’s efforts to strengthen ties with
Algeria as part of his broader plan to forge greater pan-
Mediterranean economic cooperation.