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Data control and the protection of privacy today constitute central issues of national security and Algeria’s sovereignty in the digital space, said this Tuesday the president of the National Authority for the Protection of Personal Data, Samir Bourehil, during the opening of the international conference devoted to the “digital sovereignty of the State”, which will continue until tomorrow at Tahri-Mohamed University in Béchar.
At the opening of his speech, Mr. Bourehil praised the relevance of the theme chosen by the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of Béchar, considering that it is fully in line with the vision held by the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who accords “capital importance to the development of the digital State and the digital transformation of the country”.
The manager also described this scientific meeting as “a valuable opportunity to exchange between experts and researchers” on a subject of the future with profound political, economic and social repercussions.
Addressing the changes brought about by information and communication technologies, Mr. Bourehil underlined that “the development of cyberspace and digital platforms has generated a new space for global interaction”, which has become a major challenge for States. He added that “this virtual field tends to escape established legal and regulatory frameworks, forcing countries to assert their authority over a now dematerialized territory, that of digital sovereignty.”
He also clarified that this sovereignty cannot be guaranteed without rigorous control of databases, information systems and flows of personal data. However, the massive use of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, complicates the task of governments, faced with new security challenges, such as espionage, disinformation and cyberattacks which directly threaten national stability and security.
Unprecedented cross-border threats
The President of the Authority warned that “as geographical boundaries blur, digital platforms exert a growing influence that goes beyond the States themselves”, explaining that “these large digital companies impose a form of algorithmic sovereignty, shaping political and social behavior through the exploitation of colossal masses of data”.
Faced with this reality, the question of the legal protection of personal data becomes essential. Mr. Bourehil recalled that the Algerian legislator “did not remain indifferent to these transformations”. He reinforced these remarks by citing in particular Law 18-07 relating to the protection of individuals in the processing of personal data, which establishes a clear framework aimed at preserving the confidentiality of information and strengthening the security of digital systems.
He thus affirmed that this text of law requires any entity handling personal data to respect strict rules of confidentiality and to adopt technical and organizational measures to prevent any unauthorized access or any attack on digital infrastructures. He assured that “this approach aims to consolidate the digital sovereignty of the State and to sustainably protect the rights of citizens”.
In addition, Mr. Bourehil highlighted Algeria’s determination to strengthen this sovereignty through the national digital transformation strategy, driven by President Tebboune. This aims to build an inclusive digital ecosystem, modernize public services and stimulate the digital economy, while placing the protection of personal data at the heart of the system.
He made it clear that “digital mastery is not only a technological issue, but an imperative of sovereignty. It engages our ability to preserve our identity, our security and our independence in cyberspace.”
Closing his speech, the President of the Authority called for a real collective awareness around the issues of personal data protection, specifying that “the dissemination of this culture requires education, awareness and respect for good practices”. He argued that in a world where technology is evolving at a breakneck pace, “privacy and information security remain fundamental pillars of the sovereignty and dignity of nations.”