In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Ministers and heads of delegations,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Honourable guests,

        

 

It is a pleasure to address my greetings to you, as you gather again in Algeria for this meeting, which is now a continental event that confirms our commitment, as Africans, to addressing future challenges and laying the foundations for a continental ecosystem based on innovation and integration that maximizes our countries' potential and strengthens Africa's global standing.

Faithful to our spirit of African cooperation and solidarity, to the struggle of our ancestors for freedom, dignity, and prosperity of Africans across the continent, and to the commitment to common African action, my country is today hosting the 3rd African Start-up Conference. This is an opportunity that brings together the new generation of the architects of Africa's renaissance, that you represent. You who carry the standard of your ancestors, who, through decades of oppression where Africa saw its development hindered and its wealth plundered, opposed injustice and contempt, rose up against colonialism, and fought hegemony. Their sacrifices testify to the heavy toll paid by Africa for its peoples to be free, sovereign, and united.

The emerging new Africa, faithful to the sacrifices of generations of patriots and resistants across the continent, instills in you the ability to tackle future challenges, with the ambition of those convinced of success and who master new technologies and invest in its most difficult fields, such as artificial intelligence.

This technology must inevitably be integrated into the processes of consolidating the knowledge economy and expanding the fields of entrepreneurship and start-up deployment, as a lever of contemporary economy ensuring economic efficiency and profitability, as proven in the economies of developed countries.

Your commitment to organizing this conference, as a tradition reflecting the will to create African spaces for dialogue, innovation, and initiative, embodies the determination of entrepreneurs, especially young people, to take up the challenge and bring added value to African cooperation mechanisms.

Your forum bolsters joint continental efforts aimed at enabling Africa to position itself in the current competitive global economic context, a reality for the new Africa thanks to its various and huge human resources, the modernization and efficiency of its economies, and to its youths’ skills and innovations.

 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen

 

In just a few years since 2020, Algeria has made remarkable strides in developing a knowledge-based economy. Those wishing to invest, especially young people, now have access to innovative incentive programs that enable them to turn their ideas into tangible projects, creating economic value and addressing critical national challenges in various fields.

This experience has enabled my country to become a major player in Africa, thanks to comprehensive and deep economic reforms that have made start-up a driving force of economic recovery. They enjoy ongoing support and constant encouragement, as evidenced by the creation of a special fund to support start-ups, within a broader approach aimed at dedicating extended financing methods to creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

This encouragement is also illustrated by establishing communication bridges between training and research institutions and businesses, and by creating several institutions to enhance training in innovation-related fields, particularly artificial intelligence, which now receives increased attention, artificial intelligence, as reflected in this conference's strategic theme.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

The milestones achieved by Algeria in building an integrated start-up ecosystem align with the broader innovative momentum across Africa.

This conference serves as a critical platform bringing together thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators to forge strategic partnerships that can convert continental challenges into sustainable development opportunities, in line with the African Union's Agenda 2063 vision.

We are convinced that the objective of this conference, beyond organizing the largest technological event in Africa, is to lay the foundations for an integrated continental ecosystem encompassing training, financing, infrastructure investment, and adapting the legislative framework to encourage innovation.

I wish great success to your works, reaffirming our commitment, with a strong and sincere African will, to support its conclusions so that Africa becomes an actor in global transformations and in sync with the global economy.