In the capital city of Algiers, the Minister of Culture and Arts, Souria Moulouji, presided over the official inauguration of the sixth training session aimed at officers from the General Directorate of National Security. This session focuses on “Protecting Cultural Heritage and Combating the Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Properties,” held as part of the celebration of Heritage Month.
The training, hosted at the Higher Police School “Ali Tounsi,” runs from April 21 to 25. It is organized by the Ministry of Culture and Arts in coordination with the General Directorate of National Security. This initiative is attended by the chief of staff of the Ministry of Interior, Local Governments, and Urban Planning, the Director General of National Security, and several other officials from security and military agencies.
Minister Moulouji highlighted the alignment of this training session with Algeria’s Heritage Month, celebrated annually from April 18 to May 18. This year’s theme, “Cultural Heritage: Risk Management in Times of Crisis and Natural Disasters,” emphasizes the profound importance of both tangible and intangible heritage. The session also addresses complex issues related to managing cultural heritage amid crises and natural disasters, aiming to develop comprehensive protection strategies and related efforts.
She pointed out the severity of cultural property trafficking, ranked as the third largest criminal activity after arms and drug trafficking. These challenges necessitate doubling efforts to establish joint agreements and national and regional committees that work collectively to defend the nation’s heritage and curb internal threats before they escalate into transnational crimes.
Moulouji also emphasized the growing recognition of the importance of collaborative efforts and coordination in protecting the national cultural heritage, which is an integral part of global heritage and the national identity. This is crucial in combating related crimes and minimizing threats to the diverse and rich Algerian heritage through thwarting any related criminal activities.
She praised the professionalism of the security and military agencies, particularly the National Security forces, for their significant role in combating various forms of threats to cultural heritage across the nation. In late 2023, a major operation led by the security team in Sidi Bel Abbès resulted in the recovery of two treasure troves consisting of 15,346 artifacts.
The Director General of National Security, Ali Badawi, also emphasized the critical importance of protecting cultural properties, which abound in both tangible and intangible, movable and immovable forms nationally and internationally. He highlighted that the annual reports from the National Security services reveal the persistence of criminal activities threatening this heritage, including threats from criminal organizations and the real danger of heritage disappearance.
Regarding the training session, the program includes specialized presentations, visits to three national museums for practical demonstrations on cultural property components, meetings with experts, and involving the justice sector to equip law enforcement with techniques for investigating and detecting money laundering derived from heritage-related crimes.
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