ALGIERS – Wednesday, 13 December 2023 (APS) – Minister of Interior, Local Authorities and National Planning Brahim Merad affirmed Tuesday, in Algiers, that the citizens are the top priority of the President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune, by ensuring them a dignified life protecting them against disasters.
In his reply to the concerns of the members of the People’s National Assembly, in a plenary session devoted to the presentation and discussion of the bill fixing the rules of prevention, intervention and reduction of disaster risks as part of sustainable development, the minister underlined that “the citizens are the top priority of the President of the Republic through the policies he implemented aiming to ensure them a dignified life and a risk-free environment,” stressing that these risks are sometimes deliberate, as Algeria is targeted.”
The public authorities are tasked to update the intervention plans in case of disasters to “deal with the worst scenarios” and avoid notably human losses, the minister said.
Merad said that Algeria will receive in January new fire-fighting planes and will continue hiring others, in addition to the adoption of several strategies to contain forest fires.
As part of the participatory action, the minister called to involve the civil society in the training and awareness-raising operations on the prevention and reduction of disaster risks, especially as some of these risks are man-made.
In this regard, Merad stressed the necessity of ensuring the implementation of legal standards for “an appropriate environment to all citizens nationwide.”