ALGIERS – The Algerian President, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Minister of Defense, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, chaired a cabinet meeting on Sunday, which began with a presentation of the agenda that included the study and discussion of the 2026 Finance Bill, two draft laws related to the creation of the People’s National Army Medal and military decorations, and a presentation on the water resources sector.
Afterward, the Algerian President gave the floor to the Prime Minister to present the government’s activity report for the past two weeks. The President then issued the following orders, instructions, and directives:
Regarding the 2026 Finance Bill:
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Finance Bill, taking into consideration the following directives from the Algerian President:
– He emphasized that the Finance Law must not include any increases that would burden citizens’ purchasing power.
– To develop a modernization and upgrading plan for the operational mechanisms of the National Statistics Office, both structurally and technically.
– To establish regional branches of the National Statistics Office in Wilayas and municipalities, in order to provide the state with a fact-based statistical vision drawn from the heart of Algeria.
– To work towards a non-burdensome tax base that is more effective in terms of collection, aimed at combating tax evasion and negative behaviors in the tax system.
– The upcoming Finance Bill must encourage investment and competition.
– The Finance Bill must not include sector-specific decisions aimed at gaining popularity or populism, but rather focus on generating added value and well-studied economic utility with guaranteed results.
Regarding the presentation on the construction of five new seawater desalination plants:
– The Algerian President ordered a deeper study of the establishment of these plants, taking into account the Wilayas experiencing irregularities in water distribution.
– He also instructed that priority be given to densely populated cities facing low rainfall, particularly in the High Plateaus.
Regarding the presentation on the potable water supply situation:
– The Algerian President ordered the postponement of the presentation and called for its content to be further developed for the next Council of Ministers meeting.
– President Abdelmadjid Tebboune directed that desalinated water from the new plants must be distributed up to a distance of no less than 250 km from the coast, with the final decision on the location of these plants to be made during the next Council of Ministers meeting.
– The Algerian President reiterated the importance of upholding a state-level culture of responsibility towards citizens by establishing a well-planned water distribution schedule and implementing it rigorously.
Regarding a draft executive decree involving the declassification of agricultural land plots:
– The Algerian President rejected the conversion of agricultural land from its original purpose for the establishment of public projects. He directed the government to adopt alternative mechanisms to identify available land parcels that could accommodate such projects, provided they are on land unsuitable for agriculture.
– The Council also approved two draft laws establishing the People’s National Army Medal and military decorations.
The Cabinet meeting concluded with the approval of individual decisions related to appointments and terminations in senior state positions.
