Algerian Radio
The President of the Republic, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Minister of National Defence, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, chaired yesterday, Sunday, a meeting of the Council of Ministers which addressed several presentations, including digitalization, transport, scientific research, and antiquities, according to a statement from the Council of Ministers, the full text of which follows:
The President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Minister of National Defence, chaired yesterday, Sunday, a meeting of the Council of Ministers. The meeting addressed presentations including the operational launch of the National Portal for Digital Services, firefighting equipment, and the funding for the first section of the Laghouat–Ghardaïa–El Meniaa railway project, in addition to the establishment of the Supreme Council for the National Scientific Community Abroad and the creation of the National Authority for Antiquities.
Following the opening of the Council of Ministers meeting by the President of the Republic and the announcement of the agenda, followed by the Prime Minister's presentation on government activity over the past two weeks, the President extended his greetings and thanks particularly for the efforts of the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Bank of Algeria, and more broadly to all executives and workers in the finance sector, for enabling Algeria to exit the gray list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). On the occasion of this major achievement, the President recalled that Algeria's international reputation had suffered severely due to the financial and illegal violations that prevailed before 2019, stressing that this decision serves as international recognition that today's Algeria has definitively distanced itself from the era of money laundering and capital movement crimes, once and for all.
Furthermore, the President of the Republic ordered the Ministers of Finance and Justice to act with utmost strictness and firmness to prevent any future violations in financial transactions and to ensure transparency, especially in light of all the economic, financial, and judicial reforms initiated by Algeria since the election of the President of the Republic in 2019, and in line with his commitment to supporting Algeria's international reputation across all levels.
Regarding the National Portal for Digital Services:
The President emphasized that the actual rollout of the digitalization portal aims to improve management and reduce expenditures, while achieving efficiency in managing the affairs of the state and the citizen, whose life will become increasingly easier, thereby enhancing well-being.
The President of the Republic ordered the Minister, High Commissioner for Digitalization, to prepare the national social map before the upcoming social entry. This ushers Algeria into a new era of social justice within the vision of a strong, modern state, supported by a digital system that guarantees sovereignty and curbs all forms of fraud and corruption.
Regarding the funding project for the construction of the Laghouat–Ghardaïa–El Meniaa railway line (First Section):
- The President ordered the acceleration of the launch of various workshops for this strategic project, which carries multiple economic dimensions, given the economic dynamism and new job creation it provides.
- Connecting Hassi Messaoud to this line, in view of the resulting reduction in costs and distances, as well as the increase in Algeria's exports from the production of the new Hassi Messaoud refinery, which will enter service shortly.
Regarding the establishment of the Supreme Council for the National Scientific Community Abroad:
- The Council of Ministers approved that the Supreme Council for the National Scientific Community Abroad shall be an advisory body under the Presidency of the Republic, financially and administratively independent.
- The President of the Republic extended an appeal to all children of Algeria among the leading figures of science worldwide to participate and contribute to the country's development project, leveraging their experiences to elevate it to the ranks of developed nations.
- The President expressed the Algerian nation's pride and honor in its competencies wherever they are across the globe, committing to opening wide the doors of freedom for them to contribute alongside their counterparts at home to the further development of Algeria and to vault it into the ranks of developed nations.
Regarding the establishment of a National Authority for Antiquities:
- The need to revitalize research and exploration for Algerian scientists and researchers in archaeology and to liberate them scientifically in order to move definitively beyond the stage of relying solely on already discovered antiquities and to continue excavations to discover more antiquities related to the various historical eras of humanity in Algeria.
- The creation of a National Authority for Antiquities, which will enjoy independence from any administrative hierarchy and will be established as an industrial and commercial public institution (EPIC).
- The President of the Republic ordered that this authority shall have a dedicated police force specializing in the protection and surveillance of all matters related to antiquities of various categories, given its field-based exploratory and research missions.
- The authority shall be placed under the direct oversight of the Presidency of the Republic.
Before the conclusion of the Council of Ministers meeting, the President of the Republic gave instructions to establish a joint Algerian-Chinese company specialized in clearing and cleaning all Algerian ports from East to West, immediately following the completion of the Annaba port expansion project. This comes in anticipation of the port entering the phase of exporting Algerian phosphate abroad upon the completion of the mining railway line, which links the Bled El Hadba mine to Oued Keberit, leading all the way to the port of Annaba.
