Intersectoral Commission “Territorial Planning, Environment, and Major Risks” (ATERM)

The Territory Planning Research Center (CRAT), under the supervision of the Directorate General for Scientific Research and Technological Development (DGRSDT), hosted two workshops on Sunday, June 30, 2024, to prepare the content of the national research and development program in the fields of Territorial Planning, Environment, and Major Risks. Representatives from the joint sectoral committee for territorial planning, environment, and major risks, the Thematic Research Agency for Social and Human Sciences (ATRSSH), as well as numerous economic and social entities from both the public and private sectors, were in attendance.

Mr. Chaouki BENABBAS, Director of CRAT, opened the event with a welcome speech in which he expressed his satisfaction in hosting the event at the Research Center. He emphasized that the goal of these dialogue workshops is to pave the way for a research project with a new concept in the field of territorial planning and major risks.

Following this, Mrs. Halouane Fatima, Director of Research Programming, Evaluation, and Foresight at DGRSDT, presented an approach to the national research programs, highlighting that the aim of these programs is to find effective solutions to issues in territorial planning and major risks.

Mr. Mohamed Kechebar, President of the Joint Sectoral Committee and Director of CRSTRA, then outlined the context and objectives of the workshops. He indicated that the purpose of involving representatives from various sectors and national entities is to exchange experiences, ideas, and knowledge to enrich the content of the national research and development program in the fields of territorial planning and major risks.

Mrs. Mokhtari Souad, representative of the Ministry of Interior, Local Authorities, and Territorial Planning, presented a conceptual memorandum on territorial planning. She provided an overview of the changes and developments in the sector from independence to the present day, reviewing the laws governing the field. She stressed that the ultimate goal of territorial planning is to ensure sustainable development and improve the living environment of citizens.

She also highlighted the importance of the National Territorial Planning Scheme (SNAT) in establishing regional balance. She discussed:

Objectives and expectations of decision-makers in the field of territorial planning.
Requirements for scientific research and technological development in planning and sustainable territorial development.
Actors and partners in territorial planning.

Mr. Afra Abdelhamid, representative of the Ministry of Interior, Local Authorities, and Territorial Planning, presented a conceptual memorandum on major risks, specifying that the most frequent risks in Algeria are earthquakes, floods, and forest fires, which usually cause human and material losses costing the Algerian state an average of 40 billion dinars per year. He mentioned that the national disaster risk management strategy is based on the national context, which includes a list of eighteen risks, and the international context, which encompasses various agreements to which Algeria has adhered. He discussed the strategic objectives of disaster risk management (DRM) and the steps to achieve these objectives. At the end of his presentation, he highlighted the requirements for scientific research and technological development for disaster risk prevention and management.

In the afternoon, the two workshops on territorial planning and major risks began simultaneously. Participants discussed and analyzed the concerns, issues, and needs of economic and social partners. The workshops featured questions, answers, comments, and exchanges of ideas and concerns from the participants, all united towards a common goal: to map out a roadmap for the national research and development program in the fields of territorial planning and major risks.