The New DZD 2000 Banknote Disturbs Some French Politicians

Politicians in France expressed their dismay at Algeria’s replacement of the French language with English in the latest banknote issued by the Algerian Central Bank.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the candidate of the radical left for the presidency of the Elysee in 2012 and 2017, posted on a tweet commenting on the new banknote.

“This is an Algerian banknote,” Mélenchon wrote, “The common language no longer exists” he added, “sadly, Macron and Borne failed in everything and for everything.”

For his part, the journalist in Le Figaro newspaper, a reporter specialist in the Middle East and the Maghreb affairs, Georges Malbrunot, did not miss talking about the subject.

Le Figaro’s journalist posted a tweet that said; “Algeria .. a few weeks after Elisabeth Borne’s trip and a few months after Emmanuel Macron’s one, the new banknotes are written in English.”

For the first time, Algerian banknotes include a language other than Arabic. English was chosen by the Algerian Central Bank.

It’s a small event that has a big symbolic value. At the time of commemorating the anniversary of November 1, 1954, the date of the outbreak of the National Liberation Revolution, the Algerian Central Bank has just issued a new 2000 dinars note and a new 50 dinar coin. Usually including mentions exclusively in Arabic, this time we see translations in English.

Contrary to what the foreign press sometimes announces, since 1964, the French language has never been present on Algerian banknotes. But the fact that the Algerian Central Bank is opting for English rather than French is highly symbolic, especially at a time when relations between Paris and Algiers are heating up, and a few weeks after the trip of a delegation led by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne in Algeria.

But should we, therefore, see a message addressed to France? “It would be a sterile controversy,” says an Algerian economist. French has never been written on banknotes in Algeria”. For this specialist, it is above all a question of “opening up to the world”. The announcement of the printing of the new banknote with inscriptions in English also coincides with the start of the Arab League summit and is an opportunity to promote the dinar internationally.

Some observers see it rather as Algeria’s desire to provide for the convertibility of the dinar in the future. Others consider it to be the first step from Algiers towards the BRICS. The Algerian Central Bank has not yet given specific explanations.

The 2000 dzd banknote and the 50 dzd coins issued by the Bank of Algeria on the anniversary of November 1, the date of the outbreak of the Algerian national revolution, and the holding of the Council of the League of Arab States during its 31st session in Algiers.

Besides the debate on the language used on the new banknotes and coins, it is important to note that the new coin bears the image of Hassiba Ben Bouali, an important figure in the female resistance of the War of Liberation, and the 2000 dinars banknote bears the image of Emir Abdelkader and a large illustration of the martyr’s sanctuary and the map of the Arab World and that of Algeria. On its back, we notice several Algerian historical symbols such as the great mosque of Algiers, Mount Hoggar or the Roman ruins of Tipaza, a palm tree and a caravan of camels. In addition, the banknote has a blue-green colour on the front and a yellow-green colour on the back.

The new 2,000 DA banknotes, as well as the new 50 DA coin, will be put into circulation from this Wednesday, said Monday the general director of the network within the Bank of Algeria, Mohamed Benbahane.