Continental Engagement: Algeria’s Enduring African Identity Affirmed

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune affirmed Algeria's African identity as a constant strategic choice and a commitment it has sought to translate through concrete initiatives and projects. This affirmation aims to strengthen integration and connectivity among the continent's countries. The President's remarks were delivered in a speech by the President of the Council of the Nation, Mr. Azouz Nasri, during the Summit of Founding States of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) initiative, held in El Alamein, Egypt.

President Tebboune highlighted that NEPAD originated from the fundamental conviction that political liberation is incomplete without economic emancipation. He underscored that Africa's future can only be built by leveraging its own capacities and by reinforcing solidarity and integration among its states and peoples. Twenty-five years after NEPAD's launch, the President noted justifiable pride in achievements across infrastructure, human development, governance, and economic integration.

Despite these successes, President Tebboune acknowledged the existing gap between stated ambitions and actual results on the ground. He stressed that the current challenge involves transitioning from mere planning to impactful implementation, moving from fragmented approaches to structural projects with broad effects, and converting commitments into tangible, measurable outcomes that directly improve the lives of African citizens. Within this framework, Algeria has consistently embraced its African identity as a strategic choice and actively pursued this commitment through initiatives designed to create conditions conducive to shared and sustainable development.

As examples of these concrete projects, the President cited the Trans-Saharan Road and the Trans-Saharan fiber optic backbone, demonstrating Algeria's practical contributions to continental integration and connectivity.