Monday 24 February 2025 
By: Hana Saada
ALGIERS– The Algerian Red Crescent (CRA) is an Algerian humanitarian volunteer organization founded in 1956. Recognized as a public utility since 1962, by virtue of a presidential decree published in the Official Gazette of September 14, 1962, barely two months after the independence of Algeria, the oldest humanitarian organization in the history of Algeria (CRA) is one of the 190 national societies of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement as it was recognized by this latter on July 9, 1963.
Being part of the international Red Cross/ Red Crescent movement, the Algerian Red Crescent is guided by the principles of the movement, including; Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity and Universality.
Its objectives are to help people in difficulty and empower vulnerable individuals and communities in Algeria and abroad as it strives to alleviate human suffering everywhere and at all times without partiality or discrimination. It endeavors to protect human life and health as well as ensure respect for the human being. CRA has a principal mandate of providing a wide range of relief and development services, both locally and internationally, capitalizing on its resourceful and specialist staff and volunteers. Throughout its long history, the body has been serving as an auxiliary to the State of Algeria in its humanitarian efforts, in light of its central mission of improving the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity inside and outside of Algeria.
Back in history, the first step to create the voluntary humanitarian society was taken by Dr. Boumediène Bensmaïne, helped by the pharmacist Abdellah Merad, in drawing up the statutes of the future CRA. The project was presented to the authorities of the FLN. On December 11, 1956, the Coordination and Execution Committee (CCE), the central body of the FLN’s management, gave the green light for the creation of the CRA, with Dr. Bensmaine as Secretary General. The first committee of the CRA was, thus, chaired by Mr. Omar Boukli Hacene, a lawyer from Tlemcen province.
Among the pioneers of this organization, we mention, among others, Dr. Mostefa Benbahmed, who was the second president in 1958, Dr. Mostefa Makaci, Mouloud Bouguermouh and Djilani Bentami, CRA delegate in Geneva. At that time, the main missions of the body were to welcome wounded or mutilated AFN soldiers to treat them abroad, as well as to take care of the thousands of Algerian refugees crossing the borders with Morocco and Tunisia.
Through its delegation in Geneva, the Algerian Red Crescent (CRA) succeeded in informing international bodies of the difficult humanitarian situation in Algeria and the deteriorating conditions of prisoners in internment camps. Later, it increased its activities with Arab countries and Eastern European ones. Subsequently, it succeeded in creating a surge of international solidarity by collecting donations for the benefit of the FLN. Several first aiders and nurses were trained to serve in the maquis. A mission that continued unabated until nowadays.
The organization has remained active in providing humanitarian assistance throughout Algeria and abroad. However, and since the appointment, on Thursday, May 12th, 2022, of Ms. Ibtissem Hamlaoui, a specialist in cardiac surgery and political activist, as the President of this organization, the latter has been working forcefully to achieve the ultimate goal of alleviating humanitarian sufferings especially for those in crises and to popularize the culture of solidarity, fraternity and tolerance, out of the conviction that these universal values enhance the defense of human dignity and social cohesion.
Believing in the power of humanity and the strength of the volunteer network, the Algerian Red Crescent, as an auxiliary body to the government, pays utmost importance to provide effective and timely response and help vulnerable communities to strengthen their own capacities to respond to disasters and recover afterwards.
As statistics; Since May 2022, the volunteer-based humanitarian organization has spared no effort both nationally and internationally to promote its position as the humanitarian arm of the Algerian state and provide effective and efficient services through mobilizing resources in emergencies and normal time.
At the national level, huge efforts have been exerted with the assistance of the Ministry of Finance, as stated by the report issued by the organization, with a view to restoring the noted shortages, especially with regard to the activation of the bank accounts and the renovation of the provincial offices.
The stuff’s perseverance enabled the organization to create 200 new local committees, bringing their total number to 800, as they aspire to cover 1,400 municipalities by the end of 2023.
The crescent strives to fulfill its humanitarian responsibilities by adopting integrated approaches that address various vulnerability aspects, to wit:
- Health, social and developmental issues: Various activities, including blood donation, primary health care services, vaccination campaigns and hygiene and health promotion are conducted by the Algerian Red Crescent all over the country. Besides, rural, urban and suburban development is an important area of action that the crescent gives special attention. Slums development is among its main concerns. As statistics, 700 tons of aid have been distributed to 37 provinces, with the emphasis put on remote and grey areas, 7 ambulances, 20,000 school wallets, 500 wheelchairs, including 50 electric ones, 4833 blankets, 26 oxygen generators, 4 of which with a capacity of 40 KVA, 05 four-wheel drive utility vehicles have also been distributed. A mobile hospital designed to provide service in the field, which can be moved from one place to another, was dedicated to the province of Ain Guezzam, along with 03 other mobile medical clinics for the benefit of the provinces of Adrar, Tamanrasset and Illizi. 41 shelters distributed across more than 30 provinces have been rehabilitated.
- Promoting volunteerism, training paramedics and encouraging youth empowerment and inclusion: Up to 20,000 volunteers have been recruited and 3,000 paramedics trained in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross. Over and above, the National first aid training center has been inaugurated at the CRA headquarters on the occasion of World Volunteer Day, celebrated on December 5. To this end, a listening cell has been set up to take calls via the CRA’s toll-free number 05-10, in coordination with the urgent psychological care cell to provide assistance to categories requiring support.
- Disaster Management as the CRA responds to all national as well many regional and international disasters. Following the fires that erupted in the province of El Tarf, the crescent provided 240 tons of food aid and constructed 3 three houses in Mechta Kef Ghorab in the commune of Béni Salah and two sheds in Hammam Bani Saleh. In addition, a reforestation campaign was undertaken at the Bratia animal park in the municipality of El Kala, and psychological consultations were given by specialists to children and families traumatized by the disaster in the summer of 2022.
Besides, the CRA intervened and took care of all those affected by the floods in the province of Bordj Bou Arreridj. In Tiaret, all the families affected by the floods were taken care of. Not to mention the establishment of the National Center for Rapid Response to Disasters in the province of Tipaza. It should be noted, in this regard, that most of the aids have been sent to the governors to ensure maximum transparency.
- Working with local communities and encouraging their inclusion through participatory approaches to ensure sustainable community empowerment.
- Building partnerships on the national and international levels to ensure coordination and successful cooperation:
++ The body inked, on Monday, December 26, 2022, a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Signed by the Secretary General of the Ministry, Abdelhakim Bentelis and the President of the CRA, Ibtissem Hamlaoui, this agreement aims to encourage students to participate in the programs drawn up by the CRA. It also encourages students to volunteer and participate in first aid training sessions.
++ The Algerian Red Crescent (CRA) signed, in December, a cooperation agreement with the National Waste Agency (AND) to consolidate activities relating to the recovery of waste. The agreement was signed by the DG of the AND, Karim Ouamane, and the president of the CRA, Ibtissam Halmaoui, in the presence of executives from both parties. The objective of the convention is to reinforce participatory action to promote activities relating to the sorting and recovery of waste, but also to raise awareness of the importance of green economy and reducing the effects of climate change.
The agreement also aims to promote integrated waste management in the areas where the CRA is active and grant support for micro-enterprises and project leaders in waste recovery.
++ The crescent inked a cooperation agreement with Algerie Telecom to create and support small enterprises in grey areas.
++It signed an agreement with the Algerian Insurance Company and the National Savings and Reserve Fund which made symbolic contributions.
++ A partnership agreement was signed, on Wednesday, January 18th, 2023, in Algiers between the Algerian Red Crescent (CRA) and the National Federation of Autism aimed at promoting the social, educational and professional integration of autistic children and the launch of development projects for their benefit.
Noting that 16 educational centers for autistic children will be inaugurated in 12 provinces ( Wilayas).
On another level and in line with the policy of the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, aimed at involving the Algerian community established abroad in national solidarity actions, an agreement was concluded with the Union of Algerians residing in Italy to facilitate the movement of the aids granted to Algeria.
The partnership agreement was signed on Tuesday, January 03rd, 2023, in Algiers between the Algerian Red Crescent (CRA) and the Federation of Algerian Associations in Italy, bringing together under one roof a set of national skills and representatives of Algerian associations active in civil society in Italy.
This agreement aims to open a green corridor to facilitate the entry of aid and donations, and it comes following the meeting of the President of the Republic with the Algerian community in Italy during his last visit.
It is worth noting that the Algerian Red Crescent does not receive any subsidy from the public authorities, despite the issuance of Executive Decree No. 319-98 of October 06, 1998, which provides for this.
At the international level, the organization works in various fields that all lead to reducing humanitarian sufferings and improving lives of less-advantaged and most vulnerable communities abroad. It provides assistance to foreigners affected by social conflicts, wars or natural disasters without discrimination against any human being regardless of nationality, gender, color, race, religious or political beliefs.
As regards the Saharawis, the Algerian Red Crescent actively contributes to the support of the 176,300 Sahrawi refugees who are spread across five camps in Tindouf. It took the initiative to provide 10,000,878 tons of foodstuffs, 115 equipped school wallets, 22 boxes of sanitary napkins, 10,000 protective masks, medical examination table, 1410 medicine boxes as well as 05 oxygen generators, to Saharawis which helped to avoid the deterioration of the humanitarian situation. The humanitarian initiative is part of the permanent and constant support of the Algerian people to the Saharawi brotherly people, who are going through a difficult humanitarian situation.
The Algerian Red Crescent also provided, last August, 80 tons of aid to Senegal, intended for the victims of the floods. The convoy of relief material consisted of tents, bedspreads, jeans pants, boxes of medicine, oxygen concentrators, food products and wheelchairs.
75 tons of humanitarian aid were also delivered, in August, to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, a sisterly country, following the floods in certain regions of this country. This humanitarian aid was loaded on board two military planes belonging to the Air Force of the People’s National Army.
40 tons of aid were also delivered to the Malian population living in the border areas
In addition, 3 tons of aid were sent to the residents of Agades (Arlit) in Niger, in cooperation with the Presidential Adviser in charge of the Zawayas.
The Algerian Red Crescent attaches great importance to the Algerian community residing on the Tunisian border. Several convoys of humanitarian aid will be delivered, as of February 08, 2023, coinciding with the anniversary of the heroic epic of Sakiet Sidi Youssef, to them in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad. Noting that the massacres of Sekiet Sidi Youssef committed by the French colonial forces in 1958, which claimed the lives of nearly 80 Algerian and Tunisian civilians, including women and children, have sealed forever the bonds of brotherhood and active solidarity between the Algerian and Tunisian peoples, who share with the other Maghreb peoples a common destiny.
Latin America is also concerned as up to 180 tons of various food products were delivered, on Sunday, January 29th, 2023, to the friendly country Cuba. The operation, which took place in application of the instructions of the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, aims to provide assistance to the Cuban people who are going through difficult times. Furthermore, Algeria seeks to strengthen its ties with Cuba, which has always stood alongside the Algerian people during and after the war of liberation.
The Algerian Red Crescent also contributes with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in assisting and looking after the Syrian refugees residing in the Sidi Fredj center and illegal immigrants scattered in different provinces of the country. In this regard, an agreement has been concluded to provide health care for them by the Algerian Red Crescent.
As a result of this active, integral and honorable role, the Algerian Red Crescent is highly appreciated by a large number of international and regional organizations concerned with humanitarian work. For its part, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) expressed, last December, 2022, its gratitude to the body for its unwavering support to refugees hosted in Algeria, especially the Sahrawis.
“UNHCR is deeply grateful to the ARC for its support to refugees in Algeria throughout 2022 and in particular for its continued support to the humanitarian response to Sahrawi refugees in the camps,” wrote the representative of UNHCR-Algeria in a letter to the ARC.
He added: “The UNHCR would not have been able to achieve what it has to accomplish without the support of the Algerian Red Crescent”.
The ARC is also commended for its partnership that has enabled the UNHCR “to meet the needs of those who need it most” and for its contribution in terms of food aid (240 tons) that “helped avoid the crisis situation in the camps during the critical food shortage,” noted the same source.
To conclude, the Algerian Red Crescent, since its foundation and in all its stages and subsequent development, has had a noble mission to serve humanity, advocate for the weak and safeguard their dignity, inspired by the ideals and the noble values of the authentic Algerian spirit as well as the innate nature of the Algerian people, who are distinguished by their generosity and loving goodness for everyone in this world, but also from their wise and far-sighted leadership which has, throughout history, been keen to support, encourage and nurture humanitarian actions, believing in its great role in promoting cooperation among nations, achieving the ultimate goal of mankind, which is cooperation and solidarity in the face of crises, challenges and blights as well as establishing international peace and security. Algeria sets the finest example of volunteer activity, and contributed to a clear picture of how humanitarian relief should be perceived and implemented.