Houda Feraoun: “We defeated ‘NASA’ by bringing skillful researchers to work in Algeria”

The Minister of Post, Technologies of information and Communication, Ms. Houda Feraoun, said that Algeria will complete its technological sovereignty by the beginning of the year 2017, by getting rid of foreign dependency in the field of television broadcasting and other areas where the use of satellite is compulsory, noting that Algeria possesses in this context all human and material potentialities to achieve autonomy, and thereby to compete with the leading countries in this field, as evidenced by the successful experience of the launch of three Algerian satellites last September, and their entry into service.

Meanwhile, several Algerian engineers and scientists who contributed to the achievement of the three Algerian satellites launched on September 26th 2016 from India’s space center, were honored Thursday at a ceremony chaired by the Minister of Post and ICT, Ms. Houda Imene Feraoun, at the satellite development center (CDS) of the city of Oran (western Algeria).

On the occasion, Ms. Feraoun read out a message from Prime Minister, Mr. Abdelmalek Sellal, in which the latter expressed sincere congratulations to the engineers and experts of the Algerian Space Agency, its officers and officials for the remarkable implementation of satellite projects, commending their high skills in space technology and mastery of different applications for sustainable development as part of the strengthening of  national sovereignty.

“The highest authorities of the State, led by the President of the Republic Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, extend particular attention and constant monitoring to ASAL’s activities in the field of promotion of space technology, development and their use for peaceful purposes”, stressed Mr. Sellal, in his message, while expressing encouragement to national competent engineers and scientists who duly ensured the smooth implementation and full success of the program.

For her part, Ms. Feraoun warmly congratulated the engineers who had contributed to this great achievement, praising their sustained efforts for the transfer of technologies in a highly protected area and difficult to access, such as space.

The Minister also paid tribute to the young generation of researchers who, she said, preferred to do their duty in their own country rather than going to work in foreign research centers.

Ms Houda Feraoun also announced that the first Algerian satellite dedicated to telecommunications, “Alcom 1”, will be launched in June 2017. This will cover the broadcasting needs of the country and will enshrine the “sovereignty of Algeria in the field of telecommunications”, as she put it.

During this ceremony, were honored the five project managers who have achieved three Algerian satellite “Alsat-1B”, “Alsat-2B”, and “Alsat-N1”, launched on 26 September by an Indian rocket from the site of Sriharikota in southern India.

The three satellites have taken up to now, hundreds of thousands of middle and high definition photographs.