Tebboune Urges Africa to Avoid Being Victim of Global Order Shift

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune warned that Africa must not become the main victim of the ongoing global reconfiguration, in his speech at the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2025) on September 4 in Algiers.

In his 20-minute inaugural address at the International Conference Center (CIC), Tebboune spoke before hundreds of guests, including the presidents of Tunisia, Mauritania, Libya, and Chad. He emphasized Africa’s urgent need to redefine its role in the global economy.

“There is still a long way to go”

Tebboune acknowledged progress achieved in recent decades, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Africa’s growing representation in global institutions. Yet, he stressed that the continent remains marginalized in global decision-making, holding only 6.5% of voting rights at the IMF and 11% at the World Bank.

Despite possessing 30% of the world’s natural resources, Africa’s share of global trade stands at just 3%, while foreign investment flows amount to only 6% worldwide. Intra-African trade remains limited to 15%, compared to 60% in Europe. He highlighted the continent’s infrastructure gap in energy, transport, and telecommunications as a barrier to growth.

Algeria’s role in building Africa’s future

The Algerian president underlined Algeria’s efforts to strengthen continental integration through key infrastructure projects such as the trans-Saharan road, the Nigeria-Algeria gas pipeline, a continental fiber optic line, and the extreme south railway. Algeria has also launched free trade zones along its borders, opened bank branches in Africa, and inaugurated trade offices in Sahel countries.

Tebboune further recalled Algeria’s contributions, including hosting 8,000 African students annually, training 65,000 executives since independence, and cancelling $1.5 billion in debt owed by 14 African states.

“Africa is the future,” he declared, noting the continent’s youthful population compared to the aging demographics elsewhere. His statement was met with strong applause.

President Tebboune reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to being “truly African” and a driving force in the continent’s development, while calling for collective determination to transform Africa’s reality into success.