2021 in Algeria explained

See also: 2021 in North Africa.

Events from 2021 in Algeria.

Incumbents

• President: Abdelmadjid Tebboune
• Prime Minister: Abdelaziz Djerad (until 30 June); Aymen Benabderrahmane onwards

Events

Ongoing – COVID-19 pandemic in Algeria

January

• January 1
  • President Abdelmadjid Tebboune signs the new constitution, approved in November 2020. He also said he hopes to soon start applying the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19.^[1]
  • Twenty people are killed and 11 injured when a vehicle overturns near Ain Amguel, Tamanrasset Province. Nineteen people, including children, are African nationals, and Tamanrasset, is regarded as a transit point for migrants seeking to go to Europe.^[2]
• January 2 – Three top officials, including the younger brother of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Saïd, are acquitted after a September 2019 arrest.^[3]
• January 14 – A homemade bomb kills five civilians in Tebessa Province. An armed rebel is killed in Khenchela Province. It is not known if the incidents are related.^[4]
• January 20 – French President Emmanuel Macron refuses to apologize for colonialism or the Algerian War.^[5]
• January (date unknown) – Reuters reports fighting between militants and government troops in Aïn Defla Province.^[6]

February

• February 8 – Cherif Belmihoub, a minister in charge of economic projections, warns that Algeria′s energy exports are falling and the country may cease to be an exporter of crude within a decade.^[7]
• February 12 – President Tebboune, 74, returns from Germany after a second bout with COVID-19.^[8]
• February 18 – Tebboune says he will dissolve Parliament and free political prisoners.^[9]
• February 19 – Journalist Khaled Drareni and thirty other activists are released from prison in Koléa, Tipaza Province on the second anniversary of the Hirak Movement.^[10]
• February 26 – Protesters take to the streets of Algiers and other cities in a renewal of the Friday Hirak movement protests, suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[11]

March

• March 5 – Thousands of protesters march on the second Friday in a row.^[12]

August

• 10 August – Death toll rises to 42, including 25 soldiers, after massive wildfires spread throughout 18 wilayas in Algeria, particularly in Kabylia.^[13]
• 11 August – Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declares 3 days of national mourning as death toll soars to 65 following massive forest fires in Kabylie.^[14]
• 12 August – At least 22 suspected arsonists are arrested by authorities following the fires in Kabylie.^[15]

Scheduled events

• June 12 – 2021 Algerian parliamentary election^[16]
• TBA – Local elections

Sports

• August 24 to September 5 – Algeria at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
• 2020–21 in Algerian football

Deaths

• January 2 – Mirzaq Biqtash, 75, writer.^[17]
• January 18 – Jean-Pierre Bacri, 69, Algerian-born French actor (Same Old Song, Place Vendôme) and screenwriter (The Taste of Others); cancer.^[18]
• January 22 – Guem, 73, musician, composer and dancer.^[19]
• March 17 – Rym Ghezali, 38, actress (El Wa3ra).^[20]
• March 27 – Redha Hamiani, 76, politician.^[21]
• September 10 – Saadi Yacef, 93, independence fighter, politician and actor.^[22]

See also

• COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
• 2020s
• African Union
• Arab League
• Berber languages
• al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
• Islamic State – Algeria Province

Notes and References

1. News: Algeria's Tebboune signs new constitution into law . January 2, 2021 . aljazeera.com . AFP . Al Jazeera English . January 2, 2021.
2. News: Many killed in southern Algeria road accident . January 2, 2021 . aljazeera.com . AFP . Al Jazeera English . January 1, 2021.
3. News: Algerian ex-president's brother cleared of conspiracy . January 3, 2021 . aljazeera.com . Al Jazeera English . January 2, 2021.
4. News: Five civilians killed in Algeria roadside bomb blast . January 14, 2021 . aljazeera.com . Al Jazeera English . January 14, 2021 . en.
5. News: Macron rules out official apology for colonial abuses in Algeria . January 20, 2021 . aljazeera.com . Al Jazeera English . January 20, 2021 . en.
6. News: Chikhi . Lamine . In Algerian mountains, army operation shows persistent militant threat . February 2, 2021 . news.yahoo.com . Reuters . February 2, 2021.
7. News: Ratcliffe . Verity . Karam . Souhail . El Wardany . Salma . Algeria's oil and gas exports plummet . February 8, 2021 . aljazeera.com . Bloomberg . February 8, 2021 . en.
8. News: Algerian president returns home after virus-linked operation . February 13, 2021 . AP NEWS . 12 February 2021.
9. News: Algerian president dissolves parliament, frees prisoners . February 21, 2021 . AP NEWS . 18 February 2021.
10. News: Algeria frees imprisoned journalist, pro-democracy activists . February 21, 2021 . AP NEWS . 19 February 2021.
11. News: Algeria pro-democracy marchers try to revive Friday protests . February 26, 2021 . yahoo.com . AP . February 26, 2021.
12. News: Algerians protest for second Friday in revival of 2019 movement . March 5, 2021 . aljazeera.com . Al Jazeera English . March 5, 2021 . en.
13. Web site: Algeria wildfire death toll rises as 25 soldiers killed. Al Jazeera. 11 August 2021.
14. News: Algeria forest fires: At least 65 people killed as fires spread. BBC News . 11 August 2021 . 11 August 2021.
15. Web site: Algeria leader calls wildfires 'disaster', says 22 arsonists arrested. 12 August 2021 . Reuters. 13 August 2021.
16. News: Algerian president sets early election date after protests . March 12, 2021 . AP NEWS . 11 March 2021.
17. https://alqalem.com/و-فاة-الصحفي-،-الكاتب-والروائي-،-مرزاق-ب/ و فاة الصحفي ، الكاتب والروائي ، مرزاق بقطاش
18. https://www.franceinter.fr/culture/jean-pierre-bacri-est-mort Jean-Pierre Bacri est mort
19. https://www.liberte-algerie.com/culture/abdelmadjid-guemguem-alias-guem-est-decede-352895 Abdelmadjid Guemguem, alias Guem, est décédé
20. https://www.amad.ps/ar/post/393873/سبب-وفاة-الفنانة-الجزائرية-ريم-غزالي-فيديو سبب وفاة الفنانة الجزائرية ريم غزالي – فيديو
21. https://www.aps.dz/algerie/119730-deces-de-l-ancien-ministre-des-pme-reda-hamiani Décès de l'ancien ministre des PME Réda Hamiani
22. News: 10 September 2021. Yacef Saâdi est mort : un grand nom de le révolution s'éteint. Algerie360.