Belaribi: Housing Has Become the Cornerstone of Tebboune’s “New Algeria” Vision

Belaribi: Housing Has Become the Cornerstone of Tebboune’s “New Algeria” Vision

By Dr. Hana Saada

Algiers — Algeria’s Minister of Housing, Urban Planning and the City, Mohamed Tarek Belaribi, said on Sunday that the country’s housing achievements since 2020 reflect President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s determination to make access to decent housing an “absolute national priority,” describing the sector as one of the principal pillars of the government’s broader “New Algeria” development strategy.

Speaking during the inauguration of the Ahmed Taleb Ibrahimi Urban Pole in Rahmania, west of Algiers, officiated by President Tebboune, Belaribi said the transformation of Algeria’s housing landscape represents one of the most significant state-building achievements of recent years.

According to the minister, the housing and urban planning sector has witnessed unprecedented progress under the President’s directives, recording what he described as historic achievements that will leave a lasting imprint on independent Algeria’s development trajectory.

Belaribi revealed that more than 2.1 million housing units have been distributed nationwide since 2020, presenting the figure as evidence of the government’s sustained commitment to addressing one of Algeria’s most pressing social priorities.

He argued that the scale of delivery illustrates President Tebboune’s policy of placing citizens’ right to housing at the centre of public action, transforming what was once primarily a social programme into what he characterised as a comprehensive national development project.

“The right to housing has become an absolute priority,” Belaribi said, adding that the achievements accomplished over the past several years demonstrate the President’s determination to build what he described as “a victorious New Algeria capable of embracing all its citizens.”

From Housing Construction to Integrated Urban Development

Belaribi stressed that Algeria’s housing policy has evolved beyond the traditional objective of constructing residential buildings, embracing instead a broader vision centred on integrated urban planning.

He said current government policy focuses on developing fully integrated urban poles and modern cities equipped with comprehensive educational, healthcare, commercial, recreational and administrative infrastructure designed to improve citizens’ quality of life.

According to the minister, this approach seeks to create sustainable urban environments rather than isolated housing estates, placing equal emphasis on public services, mobility, green spaces and social cohesion.

The newly inaugurated Ahmed Taleb Ibrahimi Urban Pole exemplifies that strategy, combining thousands of housing units with schools, healthcare facilities, commercial centres, security services, sports infrastructure and landscaped public spaces within a single integrated urban framework.

A 100% Algerian Development Model

Belaribi also underlined that the housing transformation has been delivered through entirely Algerian expertise, resources and capabilities, describing the projects as the product of national engineering, planning and construction capacities.

He said the strategy reflects President Tebboune’s confidence in domestic competencies and demonstrates Algeria’s ability to execute complex urban development programmes using national human capital and technical expertise.

The minister argued that the housing sector has become an important driver of broader national development, contributing not only to infrastructure expansion but also to economic activity, employment creation and territorial planning.

Beyond Numbers: A Social and Civilisational Project

While highlighting the distribution of more than 2.1 million housing units, Belaribi maintained that the true significance of the programme cannot be measured solely through construction statistics.

Instead, he described the housing policy as a humanitarian and civilisational project, aimed at reinforcing citizens’ dignity, strengthening social stability and expanding equal opportunities across the country.

“The legacy being built today,” he said, “should not be assessed merely by the number of completed housing units, but by the hope it has restored to Algerian families and by the equality of opportunity it has created.”

His remarks encapsulated the government’s broader vision that housing has become more than a public service. Within the framework of the “New Algeria,” it is increasingly presented as a strategic instrument for inclusive development, social cohesion and long-term national modernisation, reinforcing President Tebboune’s vision of building integrated cities designed to improve living standards while supporting the country’s wider economic and urban transformation agenda.