Address by the President of the Republic on the occasion of the "Global Africa Tech 2026" event
The President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, addressed the participants of the "Global Africa Tech 2026" event, held in Algiers from March 28 to 30, on Saturday. Here is the APS translation:
"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
Prayers and peace be upon the noblest of Messengers,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Ministers of our brotherly African countries,
Heads of participating delegations,
Ladies and Gentlemen, representatives of international and regional organizations,
Ladies and Gentlemen, representatives of the diplomatic missions accredited to Algeria,
Ladies and gentlemen, experts in the digital field,
Ladies and Gentlemen, representatives of the press family,
Honourable audience,
May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.
Algeria is honored and delighted to host this major event, with its continental scope and international reach. It is a unifying event that we hope will provide an
ideal opportunity to strengthen inter-African cooperation and serve as a starting point for revitalizing the Africa-International partnership in the area of telecommunications infrastructure development and the promotion of information technology use by African citizens, within the framework of a unified and integrated forward-looking vision aimed at establishing African digital sovereignty.
This is a strategic vision that we will work to put at the service of the overall and sustainable development of our continent, rich in its innovative capacities and creative human energies, by combining our efforts.
Allow me, at the start of this happy occasion, to welcome you and wish you a pleasant stay among your brothers in Algeria.
I would also like to extend to each and every one of you, in your own name and capacity, my warmest greetings and sincere thanks for accepting the invitation and honoring this event with your presence.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The development of the telecommunications sector, as a lever for development in its economic, social, cultural and other aspects of modern life, constitutes, in the current situation, a decisive challenge, even a strategic issue of paramount importance for Africa, and beyond, a real right to development for our people.
In a global context marked by technological competition and a rapid succession of innovations, our continent must, in order to guarantee its place in this accelerated digital dynamic, strengthen its capacities in the areas of telecommunications network infrastructure and interconnection.
Connectivity infrastructures (land, space and maritime) are now at the heart of public policies aimed at building an economically and humanly integrated, resilient, competitive Africa that controls its own networks.
Honourable audience,
In light of these considerations, no region of Africa should be left behind by modern telecommunications networks and the opportunities they offer. Where telecommunications are available, knowledge, investment, employment, and essential services also flourish.
In a complementary and equally important aspect, strengthening telecommunications capacity promotes the emergence of innovative businesses, integration into value chains, and the creation of highly skilled jobs.
Thus, telecommunications constitute one of the most powerful tools for promoting economic, financial and social inclusion, and one of the most effective levers for generating wealth and stimulating
innovation.
From a practical economic perspective on our continent, the interconnection of African networks is essential for the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This implies
that Africa must be connected to itself in order to fully unleash its economic potential.
Without fiber optic corridors, shared data capabilities, and secure infrastructure, there can be no integrated African market.
Infrastructure integration and capacity sharing are the fastest way to reduce the digital divide between our countries.
With this in mind, our common challenge and our ultimate goal is, through close cooperation and fruitful partnerships, to unify the African space, land, sea and space, within a sovereign and integrated telecommunications infrastructure.
Honourable audience,
Aware of the requirements and challenges related to digital sovereignty, which are at the heart of its national development priorities, Algeria has undertaken and continues to invest in its material resources, organizational capacities and human skills in order to develop and modernize its telecommunications networks.
The considerable investments mobilized to strengthen international connectivity capacities and domestic links have made it possible to achieve a qualitative leap in Internet access indicators as well
as the generalization of fixed and mobile telecommunications services, with constant attention paid to ensuring balance and fairness in their benefit over a vast and extended territory.
Among the major achievements and accomplishments of my country are the significant increase in international bandwidth capacity, the extensive expansion of the fiber optic network deployed throughout
the country, and surpassing the threshold of three (3) million households connected to fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) technology. This technology will be widespread by the end of 2027, in addition to increased bandwidth and internet deployment across the entire territory.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Algeria, by virtue of its influential economic and geostrategic position in Africa, is ready and able to play a leading role and a center of excellence in strengthening African digital sovereignty.
While reaffirming its full willingness to put its telecommunications infrastructure potential and human skills to use to achieve this ambitious goal, it translates its intentions into concrete actions through exemplary initiatives to follow, currently being implemented on the ground, including the trans-Saharan fiber optic backbone project.
My country's willingness to serve this unified African approach is demonstrated by hosting this event, in line with the objectives of the initiatives of the African Union, the International Telecommunication Union, as well as the main continental programs (NEPAD, Smart Africa, among others).
We hope that this event will provide an interactive space for consultation and a platform for exchanging visions and ideas, as well as sharing expertise and good practices, with a view to developing a unified technological strategy capable of achieving our common goal for an interconnected, strong and sovereign Africa in the digital field.
It will also reflect our collective commitment to reducing the digital divide in access to information and communication technologies (ICT), and our determination to control the flow of our data, produce our own services and create added value within our borders.
Finally, investing in communications infrastructure in Africa means investing in growth, stability and shared prosperity.
On this occasion, we call for the establishment of partnerships based on joint investment, technology transfer and the development of African human skills.
I wish you every success in your work and fruitful exchanges, leading to useful proposals and practical recommendations, and I renew my welcome to your country.
"May the peace and mercy of Allah be upon you."