November 30, 2020

Trade: 15-day extension of closure measures for certain activities

Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad has decided to extend for 15 days the closure of some commercial activities under the management of the health crisis linked to the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), PM’s services said Monday in a statement. It was thus decided the extension of the measure of closure, for a period of 15 days, of the second-hand vehicle sales markets at the level of the whole national territory.

Similarly, Mr. Djerad has decided to extend the closure measure, for 15 days and in the 34 wilayas concerned by the partial confinement at home of the activities of omnisports halls and sports halls, places of recreation, leisure and recreation areas and beaches, youth centres and cultural centres, according to the press release.

The Prime Minister also decided to extend the measure of limitation, for 15 days and in the 34 wilayas concerned by the partial confinement at home, of the activity time of certain businesses which will have to cease all activities from fifteen (15) hours.

This concerns the trade of household appliances, the trade of household and decorative articles, the trade of bedding and furnishing fabrics, the trade of sports articles, the trade of games and toys, places where there is a concentration of shops, hairdressing salons for men and women as well as pastry and confectionery. Cafés, restaurants and fast-food outlets limit their activities to take-away sales only and are also subject to the obligation to close from 3 p.m., according to the press release. However, the walis will be able to “close them immediately in the event of a breach of the measures laid down in the fight against the spread of COVID-19”.

Mr. Djerad also decided to extend the measures applicable to ordinary markets and weekly markets relating to the control mechanism by the competent services in order to ensure compliance with preventive and protective measures as well as the application of sanctions provided for by the regulations in force against offenders.

These decisions come in application of the instructions of the President of the Republic, Mr Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and at the end of consultations with the scientific committee for monitoring the evolution of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and the health authority.

For more information (in French) please visit the following link.

COVID-19: Extension of partial confinement in 34 wilayas from 2 December

The government decided Monday to extend the partial confinement at home in 34 wilayas of the country for an additional fifteen days from December 2 as part of the measures taken under the management of the health crisis related to the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), says a press release from the Prime Minister’s office, the full text of which follows:

“Pursuant to the instructions of the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Supreme Chief of the Armed Forces, Minister of National Defence and at the end of consultations with the scientific committee for monitoring the evolution of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and the health authority, Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad has decided on new measures under the mechanism for managing the health crisis linked to the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).

These measures are part of the same approach taken by the public authorities, based on prudence, progressiveness and flexibility. They aim to preserve the health of citizens and protect them against any risk of the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and will be adapted, whenever necessary, according to the evolution of the epidemiological situation.

These measures are as follows:

Partial confinement at home :

– The measure of partial confinement at home from 8 p.m. (20) until 5 a.m. the following day is applicable for the following thirty-four (34) wilayas: Adrar, Laghouat, Oum El Bouaghi, Batna, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bouira, Tebessa, Tlemcen, Tiaret, Tizi-Ouzou, Algiers, Jijel, Sétif, Guelma, Annaba, Constantine, Médéa, Mostaganem, M’sila, Ouargla, Oran, Illizi, Bordj Bou Arréridj, Boumerdes, El-Tarf, Tindouf, Tissemsilt, El Oued, Khenchela, Souk Ahras, Tipaza and Ain Temouchent.

– The following fourteen (14) wilayas are not concerned by the measure of confinement at home: Chlef, Béchar, Tamanrasset, Djelfa, Saïda, Skikda, Sidi Bel Abbes, Mascara, El-Bayadh, Mila, Ain-Defla, Naâma, Ghardaia and Relizane.

The walis can, after agreement of the competent authorities, take all measures required by the sanitary situation of each wilaya, in particular the introduction, modification or modulation of schedules, of the measure of partial or total targeted confinement at home of one or several communes, localities or districts where there are outbreaks of contamination.

– These containment measures are applicable, as from Wednesday, December 2, 2020, for a period of fifteen (15) days.

For public passenger transport air services :

– The lifting of the measure suspending air public passenger transport services on the domestic network.

This measure, which will be applicable as of Sunday, December 6, 2020, will concern on the one hand the totality of services to and from the wilayas of the south of the country and on the other hand, and in a first stage, 50% of flights serving those of the north of the country.

The lifting of the measure suspending public passenger transport air services on the domestic network remains dependent on the implementation and strict observance of health protocols specific to airports and on board aircraft, drawn up on the basis of the recommendations of the civil aviation authorities and adopted by the scientific committee monitoring the evolution of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).

In this respect, the national air transport companies are responsible for increasing the number of information campaigns aimed at users on the preventive and protective measures contained in the health protocols and required for boarding and transport operations.

For mosques :

The Government has noted a good application of the prevention and protection measures enacted at the level of mosques authorised to receive worshippers (with a capacity of more than 1,000 worshippers) and an exemplary discipline of citizens who have constantly monitored compliance with all barrier measures (social distancing, compulsory wearing of masks, personal carpets, hygiene measures, etc.).

Thus and in continuity with the gradual, progressive and controlled approach to the opening of mosques observed by the public authorities, it was decided to open mosques with a capacity of more than 500 worshippers, in strict compliance with the health measures and protocols for the prevention and protection against the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The opening of mosques with a capacity of more than 500 worshippers is carried out by order of the wali, posted at the entrance of the mosques. It will be applicable from Wednesday 2 December 2020.

The scheduled opening of mosques must be done under the control and supervision of the wilaya directors of religious affairs and wakfs, through mosque officials and mosque committees, and this in close coordination with the civil protection and APC services and with the assistance of neighbourhood committees and the local associative movement.

The opening of mosques is carried out in compliance with the same preventive support system, set up for mosques with more than 1,000 worshippers.

In addition, the walis may also take preventive and protective measures, as necessary, by order and carry out unannounced inspections to ensure compliance with the system put in place.

For commercial activities :

– The extension of the measure to close, for a period of fifteen (15) days, the second-hand vehicle sales markets throughout the national territory.

– The extension of the closure measure, for a period of fifteen (15) days and in the thirty-four (34) wilayas concerned by the partial confinement at home of the following activities:

Omnisports halls and sports halls.
Places of pleasure, relaxation, recreational and leisure spaces and beaches.
Youth centres.
Cultural centres.

– The extension of the measure of limitation, for a period of fifteen (15) days and in the thirty-four (34) wilayas concerned by the partial confinement at home, of the activity time of certain shops which will have to cease all activities as from fifteen (15) hours.

– The activities concerned by the measure of limitation of activity time are :

Trade in household appliances.
Trade in household and decorative articles.
Trade in bedding and furnishing fabrics.
Trade in sports goods.
Trade in games and toys.
Places with a concentration of shops.
Hairdressing salons for men and women.
Pastry and confectionery shops.
Cafés, restaurants and fast-food outlets limit their activities to take-away sales only and are also subject to the obligation to close from 3 p.m. onwards.

However, the Walis will be able to close them immediately in the event of a breach of the measures enacted to combat the spread of COVID-19.

– The extension of the measures applicable to the ordinary markets and the weekly markets relating to the control mechanism by the competent services in order to ensure compliance with the prevention and protection measures and the application of the penalties provided for by the regulations in force against offenders.

Furthermore, the Government always recalls the prohibition, throughout the national territory, of all types of gathering of persons and family reunification, including the celebration of marriages and circumcision and other events such as reunification in cemeteries, which are factors in the spread of the epidemic. He also wishes to recall the prohibition on general meetings and assemblies organised by certain institutions.

The walis will ensure compliance with this prohibition and the application of regulatory sanctions against offenders as well as the owners of the places hosting these gatherings.

As regards the procedures inherent in marriage certificates at the level of the headquarters of the communes, these must be carried out in an organised manner. In this context, the Walis must ensure that the ceremonies for the conclusion of the marriage certificate take place in adequate spaces, are carried out after an appointment has been made and are strictly limited to the main parties concerned.

Finally, and in view of the situation the country is experiencing in terms of the evolution of the epidemiological situation, the Government reiterates its calls for prudence and discipline towards the citizens who must continue to mobilise to fight against the spread of this epidemic and take up this health challenge.

For more information (in French) please visit the following link.

Opening of mosques with a capacity of more than 500 worshippers from 2 December

The Government decided on Monday to open mosques with a capacity of more than 500 worshippers, in strict compliance with health measures and protocols for the prevention and protection against the spread of Coronavirus, said a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office.

“The opening of mosques with a capacity of more than 500 worshippers is carried out by order of the wali, posted at the entrance of the mosques. It will be applicable from Wednesday, December 2, 2020,” the same source said, adding that this decision comes “in continuity with the process of opening mosques in a gradual, gradual and controlled manner, observed by the public authorities,” it noted.

The same source underlines that the Government has noted a “good application” of prevention and protection measures enacted at the level of mosques authorized to receive the faithful (with a capacity of more than 1,000 faithful) and an “exemplary discipline” of citizens who have constantly ensured compliance with all barrier measures (social distancing, compulsory wearing of masks, personal mats, hygiene measures, …).

According to the communiqué, the planned opening of the mosques must be carried out under the control and supervision of the wilaya directors of religious affairs and wakfs, through the mosque officials and the mosque committees, in close coordination with the civil protection services and the APC and with the assistance of the neighbourhood committees and the local associative movement. It is also noted that the walis can, in addition, “take preventive and protective measures, as necessary, by order and carry out unannounced inspections” to ensure compliance with the system put in place.

The decision to open the mosques falls within the framework of the new measures under the mechanism for managing the health crisis linked to the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), decided by Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad, in application of the instructions of the President of the Republic, Mr Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Supreme Chief of the Armed Forces, Minister of National Defence and at the end of consultations with the scientific committee for monitoring the evolution of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and the health authority.

These measures are part of the same approach taken by the public authorities, based on prudence, progressiveness and flexibility. They aim to preserve the health of citizens and protect them against any risk of spreading the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and will be adapted, whenever necessary, according to the evolution of the epidemiological situation.

For more information (in French) please visit the following link.

Suspension of domestic flights lifted from Sunday

Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad has decided to lift, as of Sunday December 6, the suspension of air services of public passenger transport on the domestic network, announced Monday a PM’s services press release.

This measure will concern all services to/from the southern wilayas and, in a first stage, 50% of flights serving those in the north of the country, the statement said.

The decision comes in application of the instructions of the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune and at the end of consultations with the scientific committee for monitoring the evolution of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and the health authority, the same source underlines.

The lifting of the measure suspending public passenger air transport services on the domestic network “remains dependent on the implementation and strict observance of health protocols specific to airports and on board aircraft, drawn up on the basis of the recommendations of the civil aviation authorities and adopted by the scientific committee monitoring the evolution of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19)”, notes the press release.

In this respect, the national air transport companies are responsible for stepping up information campaigns aimed at users on the preventive and protective measures contained in the health protocols and required for boarding and transport operations.

For more information (in French) please visit the following link.