The Algerian National Archives is taking steps to recover and organize local archives from before 1962, according to Dr. Mohamed Bounama, Director-General of the National Archives. He emphasized the importance of document management and archives in informing decision-making and promoting administrative transparency. The effort is part of Algeria's broader push for digital transformation.
Dr. Bounama made these remarks at the opening of a regional conference on managing activity documents and local archives in the context of digital transformation. The conference was organized by the National Archives and the Oran province authorities. He highlighted that administrative documents represent living information that has geo-strategic, political, and developmental dimensions.
The National Archives has begun creating a comprehensive map and conducting an accurate inventory of archived documents at the local level, particularly those inherited from before 1962. A new information application will be used by the Ministry of Interior, Local Authorities, and Transport to help identify internal records and recover national archives stored abroad.
The archives of the colonial period in major cities such as Constantine, Algiers, and Oran are among the documents being targeted for recovery. This organizational structure is a legacy of Ottoman rule in Algeria. The archives sector is experiencing significant legislative dynamism to keep pace with digital transformation, including preparations for a specific law on digital space.
The new law will include a chapter on electronic archiving, in addition to legal texts that enshrine national memory. These efforts are in line with instructions from the President of the Republic. Dr. Bounama stressed that qualifying and training human resources and restructuring archive services, particularly in municipalities, are crucial.
The goal is to enable these services to meet the requirements of digitalization and globalization and contribute effectively to writing and valorizing the history of local institutions. The National Archives' efforts aim to ensure the preservation of Algeria's historical documents and promote a better understanding of the country's past.
By recovering and organizing local archives, Algeria's National Archives is working to create a comprehensive and accurate record of the country's history. This initiative is an essential step towards preserving national memory and promoting transparency and good governance.
Key points
- Algeria's National Archives is creating a comprehensive map of local archives to recover documents from before 1962.
- The effort aims to promote administrative transparency and inform decision-making.
- A new law on digital space will include a chapter on electronic archiving to support the preservation of national archives.
