The Minister of Internal Trade and National Market Regulation, Ms. Amal Abdel Latif, presided over the opening of the national meeting for sector executives, held under the slogan: "Internal Trade Sector: A Lever for a Modern, Transparent, and Contemporary Economy".
With the presence of the Secretary-General of the ministry, the Cheif of the cabinet, the general directors, the ministry's officials, the regional directors, and the provincial trade directors, along with the directors of the supervised bodies.
In her opening speech, the Minister emphasised that this meeting constitutes an important milestone for evaluating the sector's efforts, measuring the effectiveness of the adopted policies, addressing weaknesses, and enhancing coordination among various structures. She highlighted that the internal trade sector and the regulation of the national market are strategic sectors that intersect with various ministerial sectors, reflecting their pivotal role in achieving economic and social development goals and their fundamental role in building an effective and transparent commercial system.
On the occasion of the approaching holy month of Ramadan, Ms. Amal Abdel Latif emphasised that this meeting falls within the framework of evaluating the preparations launched over the past months, following a proactive approach based on planning and mobilisation, and the launch of a network of neighbourhood markets across various states, considering them as spaces close to citizens, enabling them to obtain essential goods at reasonable prices and protecting their purchasing power.
In this context, she emphasised that neighbourhood markets should, above all, be an effective mechanism for price regulation and reducing the number of intermediaries, rather than just sales spaces.
She also pointed out a series of practical measures taken by the sector to protect citizens' purchasing power, including extending the winter sales period, which provides broader opportunities to benefit from competitive offers, alongside the national initiative of the Algerian Economic Renewal Council to reduce prices during Ramadan, within the framework of a responsible partnership between the state and economic operators.
Ms. Amal Abdel Latif confirmed that the challenge is not limited to ensuring the availability of goods only, but also includes controlling their flow from the producer to the consumer in real time, using precise measurement tools that allow for monitoring any imbalance in supply and demand, and any unjustified deviation in price composition, while curbing speculative behaviours at their source and intervening at the right time with the appropriate mechanisms.
In the field of consumer protection, the Minister called for intensifying regulatory work, in coordination with fraud suppression laboratories, to ensure that products comply with health and commercial standards, and to secure safe and responsible consumption. She also emphasised the importance of activating awareness campaigns to promote responsible consumption during the month of Ramadan, instilling a conscious consumer culture based on moderation, combating waste, and enhancing values of solidarity and responsibility.
Regarding the modernisation of the sector, the Minister explained that the ministry is steadily moving towards the widespread use of digital platforms to track product distribution, manage markets, and improve decision-making mechanisms, thereby enhancing transparency, efficiency, and good governance, as part of the sector's plan for the period 2026-2028.
In this context, she emphasised the special importance that the sector attaches to the development and regulation of e-commerce, considering it a strategic pillar for the modern economy and an effective means to bring services closer to citizens and expand distribution channels.
She also emphasised that e-commerce and electronic payment are not merely superficial modernity, but rather two fundamental pillars for transaction transparency, reducing cash circulation, and integrating commercial activity into the formal system. She praised the merchants' commitment to modernising the sector and the increasing adoption of electronic payment methods.
Regarding human resources, the Minister emphasised that it remains the decisive factor in implementing sector reforms, through the establishment of continuous training, the valorisation of competencies, and the adoption of objective criteria in assuming responsibilities, thereby reinforcing the principle of equal opportunities and transparency.
She also praised the pivotal role of the inspection officers, considering them the first field interface of the state's policy in regulating the market and protecting the consumer.
In the same context, the Minister emphasised the strategic importance of the anti-fraud laboratories, which have recently been reinforced by the addition of nine (09) modern mobile laboratories dedicated to work in ports and border areas. This allows for initial analyses of imported goods at crossing points, reduces inspection times, and accelerates decision-making regarding compliance or rejection, protecting the market and consumer health, while ensuring that the activities of economic operators are not disrupted.
She explained that these measures fall within a comprehensive vision aimed at supporting the economic operator and enhancing productive activity, simplifying procedures, and linking them to digitisation. This is also reflected in the effort to modernise the National Commercial Register Center, making it an effective tool in serving the national economy, facilitating the path for investors and institutions, accelerating project launches, and ensuring a transparent, measurable, and monitorable business environment.
At the end of her speech, the Minister of Internal Trade and National Market Regulation emphasised that the challenge is not limited to ensuring that the holy month of Ramadan passes under the best conditions, but extends to building a system capable of predicting, controlling, and responding, according to a modern, rational, and realistic vision, with results measured by their tangible impact on the market.
The meeting also featured presentations from the esteemed directors general of the ministry and the regional trade directors, addressing various aspects of the sector's work, current challenges, and future prospects.
