100 ideas for a 'new Algeria'

Citizens put ideas into action to build a better Algeria.

By Mouna Sadek for Magharebia in Algiers – 11/07/11

Fifty young economists, academics and businesspeople called an Algiers press conference on Saturday (July 9th) to unveil "100 Measures for a New Algeria".

It was the symbolic date of July 5th, however, that "Nabni" ("Our Algeria Built on New Ideas") selected to announce the recommendations. The group hopes to implement the proposals, drafted after two months of deliberations, before next years' independence decennial.

"The fiftieth anniversary of Algerian independence is an opportunity to reflect on the country's future," Nabni spokesman Abdelkrim Boudraa told Magharebia, adding that it is up to the state to implement the proposals.

The goal is to craft a vision for Algeria through 2020. Ninety-nine proposals relate to governance, public administration, health, youth empowerment, economic growth, education and training. The 100th measure envisions the creation of a center to monitor public-sector policies and the implementation of the Nabni 2020 project.

Among the suggested reforms are two-year tax exemptions for new entrants to the social security system, a merging of the economics and finance ministries, and changes affecting election lists, proxy voting and the way ballots are counted.

Nabni sees itself as a "participatory think tank". Group members say that despite the unfolding discussions about the need to institute far-reaching changes in Algeria and make the government more modern and participatory, there have been very few proposals for specific actions to get youths involved in public debates.

The initiative is merely "a box of ideas that belongs to everyone", said Rostane Hamdi, a member of the steering committee. The group includes around 50 active members, engaged in drafting the recommendations and running the network, and 300 followers.

"We're trying to show that as Algerians, we are capable of thinking together about a better future for our country," Hamdi said.

Many internet users have participated in the discussions about the group's ideas. "I think Nabni 2012 is the result of development in terms of the maturity and awareness of Algerian society after many experiences," Fatima Hocini explained to the Nabni online forum.

Some people, however, remain skeptical as to whether the project will be applied in practice.

"It's very interesting, as long as decision-makers deign to listen carefully," Houssam Driss, 28, told Magharebia. If the authorities fail to do so, he asserted, this beautiful dream will amount to nothing.

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2011/07/11/feature-01.