Algeria poised to get rid of shanty towns and precarious dwellings before 2009

“Echorouk Al Yaoumi” has learnt from well – informed sources that the Algerian government has decided to clear the country’s main cities, including Algiers, Oran and Constantine, of all remaining shanty towns starting from the end of the holy month of fasting of Ramadhan.

• According to the same sources, this shanty – town clearing operation in the 3 above mentioned cities will wind up in the first 3 months of the coming year.
• This operation will not end up there but will be extended to cover other provinces of Algeria and should be terminated by the end of 2009, according to a pre-established schedule.
• The government’s move is in keeping with firm guidelines issued, of  late, by the President of the Republic Abdellaziz Bouteflika who ordered the removal, within a clear-cut deadline, of all shanty – towns and precarious housing in all parts of the country with a special focus on the major cities.
• It has also been announced that a total of 164,000 new housing units are expected to be built shortly in the framework of President Bouteflika’s development strategy.
• Some 30 thousand new housing units have been earmarked for Algiers province alone as part of this ambitious housing program.