20 million Algerians torn by poverty

More than 1,300 poor municipalities get subsidies from joint local governments’ fund. Of them, 800 are ranked among the poorest municipalities where 20 million residents are living. A total of 30 provinces rely on this fund to meet residents’ needs.

According to the fund’s director Ibrahim Kaidi, 70 percent of the fund’s money is offered to poor municipalities. Thirty percent go for the poorest municipalities estimated at about 800.

The number of needy municipalities has increased since the 1980’s and reached 1,249 in 1998, finance director at the Algerian interior ministry Azzedine Keri said in a parliamentary seminar.

 Rural areas are the poorest municipalities while the number of rich municipalities is estimated at 151 across 9 provinces.  

According to legislation director at the Algerian finance ministry Mustapha Zekara, resources of 1,541 reached 715 billion DZ in 2012. This is equal to 4.4 percent of GDP.