Elias Zerhouni to Chair High Council for Algerian Scientific Diaspora

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has appointed Elias Zerhouni as president of the High Council of the National Scientific Community Abroad (HCCSNE), according to a presidential decree published in the latest Official Journal. The appointment, made through a presidential decree dated November 4, 2026, establishes an advisory body directly attached to the President of the Republic, designed to leverage the expertise of Algerian scientific professionals residing internationally.

Mr. Zerhouni, an eminent Algerian-American physician, radiologist, professor, and researcher, brings extensive experience to this role. Born in Nedroma, Tlemcen, he is recognized for his contributions to medical research in the United States and his pioneering work in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). His distinguished career includes serving as professor, director of the radiology department, and executive vice-dean of the faculty of medicine at Johns Hopkins University between 1996 and 2002. Notably, he was appointed by former President George W. Bush to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH), marking him as the first immigrant to head this prominent U.S. federal health agency. He also held the position of President of Global Research and Development for the Sanofi group from 2011 to 2018 and advised organizations like the Obama administration and the World Health Organization.

The HCCSNE, established in September of this year, comprises an elite of internationally recognized Algerian scientific competencies across various vital fields. This scientific body includes numerous Algerian researchers, academics, doctors, and engineers based abroad, such as Belgacem Haba, Karim Zaghib, Yasmine Belkaid, Abdelhamid Mellouk, and Fayçal Djeridane. Its creation and Mr. Zerhouni's leadership underscore a national initiative to consolidate and engage the skills of Algeria's scientific diaspora for national development.