Tebboune’s Donations in Africa: Where Are the Real Numbers Behind the Slogans? What a Disdain for the Dignity and Intelligence of African Nations!
ALDAR / Analysis
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced a financial grant of one million dollars for the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) during his speech at the summit of heads of state and government of the mechanism, held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
This move comes at a time of significant political events within the African Union, including the election for the position of Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission and the competition for the North African seat in the AU Peace and Security Council.
But the question that arises is: Are these aids truly a contribution to Africa’s development, or are they merely a political maneuver?
This is not the first such announcement. During the previous African Union summit in 2023, Algeria pledged to allocate one billion dollars to finance development projects across the continent through the Algerian Agency for International Cooperation for Solidarity and Development.
These amounts, promoted as foreign investments, have sparked widespread controversy within Algeria, where the local economy is facing mounting crises, from declining purchasing power to cash shortages and deteriorating basic services.
If these funds are genuinely intended to support African development, both Algerians and Africans have the right to know the precise details of how they are being spent. Where are the projects that have been implemented? What are the real returns on these investments?
Some believe that these funds are nothing more than an attempt to bolster Algeria’s political influence within the African Union, especially amid ongoing disputes over sensitive issues such as the Moroccan Sahara and Algeria’s support for the Polisario Front.
Given this situation, a more fundamental question emerges: Can Algeria afford these donations at a time when its citizens are struggling with increasing economic hardships? And do Africans themselves see these “gifts” as a genuine effort to support development, or merely as tactical moves?
What Africa truly needs today is not just funds announced at summits but real projects with tangible impacts on the people, along with transparent plans that reinforce credibility and genuine partnership—not mere political posturing.
