Algeria celebrates 60 years of Independence

Jul 18, 2022

The Algerian Revolution (1954–62), was fought by freedom fighters under the banner of the National Liberation Front.

Chérif Oualid

NewVision Reporter
Journalist @NewVision

By Chérif Oualid 

This year on July 5, Algeria marks the 60thanniversary of independence regained at a price of a protracted struggle and enormous sacrifices lasting 132 years.

Since December 2019, after the election of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Algeria entered a New Era of profound political and socio-economic transformation to be at par with its glorious history, reflected by the motto under which this “diamond Jubilee” is commemorated.

The Algerian Revolution (1954–62), was fought by freedom fighters under the banner of the National Liberation Front.

The Algerian people have always considered that their own freedom cannot be fully affirmed without the full liberation of the African continent. Since independence, Algeria has been mobilized to provide effective support to all liberation movements throughout the world and particularly in Africa.

Amilcar Cabral, leader of the Liberation Movement of Guinea Bissau, called Algeria “The Makah of the liberation movements”. Nelson Mandela received his first military training in the Maquis of the Algerian resistance. The first weapons and soldiers to launch the liberation struggle in Namibia by SWAPO and in Mozambique by the FRELIMO, came from Algeria.

Algeria is also supporting the Sahrawi people to gain their right to self-determination and recover their independence in compliance with the United Nations and African Union resolutions, especially the Resolution 1514.Like Algeria, Uganda is also advocating for the principle of intangibility of boundaries inherited at the time of independence as enshrined in the constitutive Act of the African Union and for the decolonisation of Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa.

This event is also a moment to reaffirm the friendly and historical relations dating back to the early days of independence and which have been strengthened since the assumption of power by the NRM and its leader, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, in January 1986.

The two countries share the same values and tenets of non-alignment, peaceful settlement of African conflicts by Africans without foreign interference, support to just causes and decolonisation, Pan-Africanism and the establishment of a new international economic order based on equity and equality in sovereignty, as well as mutual and integrated interests and cooperation among all countries.

On June 24, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, addressing the BRICS 14thSummit, recalled that « Algeria, which celebrates this year the 60thanniversary of the recovery of its national independence and sovereignty, confirms the continuation of its struggle to give priority to these important principles and achieve its noble goals towards the establishment of a new world order including our collective security based on the stability and prosperity of everyone».

Algeria is coordinating with Uganda to strengthen the role of Non-Aligned Movement to overcome the current tension in international relations and to promote international peace and security, knowing that Uganda is hosting the upcoming NAM summit due next year.

Algeria positions itself as a median power, producer and exporter of peace, stability and security. It is working with African partners to revive the traditional relations of solidarity which have suffered, in recent years, from the internal concerns of States and the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Tebboune, just like President Museveni, gives strategic importance to the strengthening of the African Union, politically and economically, so as to protect it from malicious attempts targeting its unity and its pivotal role in the world and to promote friendly ties among the African countries.

Algeria is stepping up its efforts to support continental organizations, and develop intra-African infrastructure projects such as the Trans-Saharan Road, the Algeria-Nigeria Gas Pipeline and the Fibre optic backbone project. Itis also working to mobilise and provide support for Solidarity and development in Africa, within the framework of the newly created “Algerian Agency for International Cooperation”.

Algeria cooperates with Uganda in many areas notably training, security and energy. The State visit paid by H.E Yoweri Museveni to Algeria in October 2015, gave a new impetus to these friendly relations. This visit was followed by numerous ministerial visits, the last one being the visit paid by Foreign Minister, Mr. RamtaneLamamra, as a special envoy by President Tebboune to President Museveni on the 16 and 17 June 2022.

Algeria aims to bolster trade and investment opportunities with Uganda in accordance with the joint will of our respective Heads of State both of whom pay great attention to the development and integration of the African continent in the framework of the 2063 Agenda and the African Continental Free Trade Area.

The launch of the Joint Business council in mid-May this year in Kampala stems from this resolve to give a new momentum to the economic ties. Another step will be made on the occasion of the forthcoming meeting of the Joint Permanent Commission later this year when a host of new agreements of cooperation will be signed.

As the largest country in Africa (2.4 million Km2) with a population of 44 million people, Algeria is blessed with huge resources, notably hydrocarbons (10th largest reserves of natural gas and 15thlargest reserves of oil in the world) and enjoys political and social stability. So it offers the best opportunities for trade and investment especially as it strives to diversify its economy and to reduce its dependence on natural resources. The new investment law which has just been passed, is intended to give more incentives and make it easier to do business in Algeria.

Algeria is also endowed with beautiful landscapes, constituting more than 1200 km of coastline and 1.6million Km2of fascinating Sahara Desert sceneries. So welcome to Algeria either for sightseeing or investing.

The writer is the Ambassador of Algeria to Uganda

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