Algeria’s Tebboune: “The Outlook Is Promising” – Presidential Message

The presidential message was read by Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb, who presided on Tuesday in Oran over the ceremony marking this double commemoration.

“In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
Prayers and peace be upon the noblest of Messengers,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On the twenty-fourth of February, we pause each year to reflect upon the twin anniversaries of the founding of the General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA) in 1956 and the nationalisation of hydrocarbons in 1971. On this day, we commemorate one of the defining milestones of our glorious War of Liberation, when Algerian workers proclaimed their adherence to the armed struggle, embodying the collective momentum of an entire nation embracing its great Revolution.

Among them stood the companions of the emblematic martyr Aïssat Idir and the generation of workers and trade unionists who laid the foundations of one of the bastions of national commitment—an example transmitted from generation to generation in the defence of Algeria, as evidenced by the positions adopted by the trade union movement during the most critical junctures of our history.

The sacrifice borne by the UGTA, through its cadres and leaders who fell in the line of national duty—foremost among them the martyr Abdelhak Benhamouda—remains the most eloquent testament to patriotism, illustrating the purest images of sacrifice and the truest expression of loyalty to the founding pioneers and to the principles and values of the Message of November.

On this occasion, we also recall a sovereign, historic, and decisive decision. Algerians will forever remember with pride the challenge taken up by engineers, technicians, and workers who, with limited means, ensured the continuity of production in the energy sector following the proclamation, on 24 February 1971, of our recovery of sovereignty over our national wealth.

They set an enduring example for subsequent generations of executives, engineers, and workers in the energy sector, who continue with distinction to oversee every link in the oil and gas value chain—from exploration and research to production, transport, and marketing. Thanks to their efforts, we have succeeded in doubling commercial energy production.

Today, we stand as the world’s seventh-largest exporter of gas and the third supplier to the European market, while holding Africa’s third-largest oil reserves. I am convinced that the prospects ahead are promising, thanks to our workers—their qualifications, expertise, and experience—which will enable us to implement strategies for renewing our hydrocarbon reserves and advancing transformation industries.

While saluting their efforts and mobilisation, in the same spirit as their predecessors, at this stage where we strive to consecrate the value of work as the driving force of sustainable national development and encourage our youth to pursue technical excellence and mastery of technology, I wish to express my profound appreciation to all women and men devoted to realising our major national projects.

The achievements delivered in recent years, those nearing completion, and those soon to be launched testify to their confidence in Algeria’s chosen path. They embody economic and social policies whose fruits and milestones are increasingly visible across the nation’s regions.

It is also a source of pride to witness, deep within our beloved homeland and among our dignified people, the expressions of welcome and joy surrounding the inauguration of the Western mining railway line—alongside other structuring projects of local and national scale—which affirm that our current national policies rest upon efficiency, realism, and the soundness of sovereign political decision-making.

This orientation reflects the doctrine of a victorious New Algeria—one rooted in the legacy of November and the heritage of the glorious War of Liberation, pragmatic in building bridges of cooperation and partnership with all continents on the basis of mutual interest and shared benefit.

I renew my salutations to all workers on the anniversary of the founding of the General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA), and to all leaders, executives, and workers in the hydrocarbon sector, who follow the path charted by their predecessors after the proclamation of nationalisation, drawing strength and determination from that historic challenge to further develop the sector and expand its capacities.

Long live Algeria.
Glory and eternity to our valiant martyrs.”