Algeria’s Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Sid Ali Zerrouki, utilized the 2026 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona to position the country as a strategic digital bridge between Europe, Africa, and the Arab world. During a high-level governance meeting co-organized by the UNDP and GSMA, the minister emphasized that while the technical foundations for Artificial Intelligence are being laid, the primary challenge remains institutional. He argued that clear governance and regulatory frameworks are the “essential conditions” required to transform AI into a genuine engine for economic inclusion and social development.
The presentation highlighted several key pillars of Algeria’s ongoing digital transformation:
- Infrastructure & 5G: Following the official activation of Algeria’s 5G network in late 2025, the government is executing a six-year roadmap for nationwide deployment, prioritizing major provinces to support a growing “smart economy.”
- National AI Ecosystem: The country is implementing a six-pillar National AI Strategy focused on research, skills development, and sector-specific applications in healthcare, energy, and agriculture.
- Cybersecurity: A new five-year national cybersecurity strategy has been launched to protect data integrity as the nation digitizes public services.
- Economic Goals: Through these initiatives, Algeria aims to train 500,000 ICT specialists by 2030 and increase the digital sector’s contribution to GDP to 20%.
