Algerian President Abdel Majid Tebboune has reaffirmed Algeria's commitment to African integration as a strategic and unwavering choice. In a speech read on his behalf by the President of the Council of the Nation, Azzouz Nasseri, at the summit of the founding countries of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in Egypt, President Tebboune highlighted Algeria's initiatives and concrete projects aimed at promoting integration and connectivity between African countries.
President Tebboune noted that NEPAD was launched based on the fundamental conviction that political liberation is incomplete without economic liberation and that Africa can only build its future by relying on its own capacities and promoting solidarity and integration among its countries and peoples. He commended the progress made in infrastructure, human development, governance, and economic integration over the past 25 years but acknowledged the existing gap between ambitions and actual results.
The Algerian President emphasized the need to transition from planning to implementation, from fragmented approaches to comprehensive and impactful projects, and from commitment declarations to measurable and tangible results that directly impact the lives of African citizens. He cited Algeria's significant projects, such as the trans-Saharan highway and the central trans-Saharan optical fiber project, as examples of its commitment to African integration and sustainable development.
President Tebboune highlighted Algeria's contributions to human capital development in Africa, including training tens of thousands of African cadres in various specialties and providing annual scholarships to African students. He stressed that investing in human capital remains essential for any sustainable development path. The President also addressed the financing gap for African development, emphasizing the need for Africa to mobilize its resources, direct its savings towards development priorities, and strengthen its financial institutions.
To address the financing gap, President Tebboune proposed translating this vision into operational mechanisms, such as mobilizing investments, preparing portfolios of bankable projects, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, and developing innovative African financial instruments. He emphasized that the success of these mechanisms depends on their ability to be implemented effectively within clear timelines and measurable indicators.
The Algerian President also called for a more equitable and representative international financial system, advocating for reform of international financial institutions to better reflect Africa's interests. He reiterated Algeria's efforts at the international level to promote a more just and sustainable treatment of debt issues for developing countries.
President Tebboune concluded by emphasizing the need for a stronger, more effective African Union Development Agency (AUDA) to support Africa's development path. He also highlighted the interconnection between development and stability, stressing that sustainable development requires security and stability, and that lasting peace can only be achieved through inclusive development that addresses vulnerability and meets people's aspirations.
Key points
- Algeria's commitment to African integration as a strategic choice
- The need for Africa to mobilize its resources to address the financing gap
- The importance of a stronger and more effective African Union Development Agency
