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ALGIERS - Captain Karima Ben Saadi is the Head of the Intervention Plans Office at the Algerian Civil Protection Direc-

torate. In recent years the officer has played an active role during the major natural disasters that have hit Algeria: theoods in Bab el Oued (October 2001) and Ghardaia (October 2008); the earthquake in Boumerdes (May 2003). In a disaster

situation, her role involves devising and implementing crisis management plans. As part of her work in this area, Captain

Ben Saadi took part, in December 2009 in Turkey, in the training workshop and tabletop exercise organised in the frame-

work of the Euro-Mediterranean Programme for Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Natural

and Man-made Disaster. This programme is in place for partners in the South of the Mediterranean

(PPRD-South) and has recently been launched for partners in Eastern Europe (PPRD-East).

Coordination

“In a crisis, Civil Protection must be implemented at a number of 

levels. Often, the deployment of teams and resources at the site of 

the disaster prevents it from being fully involved in managing the

action of international teams. Hence the need for an On-Site Oper-

ations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) to facilitate the effective coor-

dination of the relief resources provided by its partners. The country

As a pioneer in the eld of 

prevention, Algeria will share, along

with the other Mediterranean countries, its experience

of a “tour to raise awareness” within the framework of the “Programme for

Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Natural and Man-made Disasters”

(PPRD South). This platform for the exchange of expertise is the third stage

of a partnership process between the civil protection institutions of the

Euro-Mediterranean area.

Text by : Tarik Had

Photos by: Tarik Had, Samir Sid

ENPI Info Centre – Feature no. 43 This is a series of features on

projects funded by the EU’sRegional Programme, prepared by

 journalists and photographers on

the ground or the ENPI Info

Centre. ENPI Info Centre/EU 2011©

This publication does

not represent the

official view of the EC

or the EU institutions.

The EC accepts no

responsibility or

liability whatsoever

with regard to itscontent.

Civil Society and Local Authorities > ALGERIA

Disaster prevention for

an improved responsewww.enpi-info.eu

n Intervention unit on anexpressway in Algiers

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Disaster prevention for an improved response p.2

ENPI Info Centre - Feature no. 43

affected by the disaster

delegates this aspect of 

the crisis management

to its international part-

ners, while remaining to-tally sovereign”, explains

Captain Karima Ben

Saadi. In Antalya, the offi-

cer for Civil Protection in

Algeria had the opportu-

nity to participate, along-

side 25 representatives

from 14 countries, in a

tabletop exercise on set-

ting up an OSOCC. “Or-

ganising this kind of exercise is paramount as it gives all the actors the opportunity to

work together in conditions that are very similar to reality. It is all the more important as

we could be required to work together if a disaster occurs”, highlights Captain Ben Saadi.

Raising-awareness

 The objective of Civil Protection is not only to intervene in a crisis or disaster. In Algeria,

the institution developed prevention mechanisms aimed at raising awareness. To this

end, the Civil Protection organised awareness-raising tours in order to reach the most

remote areas of Algeria. Mr Mohamed Amokrane Medjekane, Deputy Director of Statis-

tics and Awareness-Raising at the Directorate-General for Civil Protection described this

initiative during a workshop in Jordan in July 2010. “Organising a tour requires, in par-

ticular, the collection and analysis of statistical data. This is an important stage as it allows

you to pinpoint the specicities and needs of each locality. We also consult the local

councillors – their role is key to the implementation of and support for the actions un-

dertaken by our teams. Only after these stages are complete does the tour take to the

road”, explains Mr Mohamed Amokrane Medjekane.

Algerian Civil Protection launched its rst awareness-raising tour in the course of 2002,

in order to run a local campaign on the risks of poisoning from scorpion stings. “This rst

initiative, which targeted regions in the south of the country, has had a very positive im-

pact as the rate of lethality caused by arachnids has decreased by 40%. We then extended

the local campaigns to other problems in order to address the needs of local communi-

ties. Participants who attended the workshop organised by the PPRD South programmeon Information and Awareness-Raising in an Emergency were particularly interested in

our concept of a tour. Some countries have even expressed the wish to organise a tour

in the framework of the PPRD South programme”, comments Mr Medjekane.

Exchange

Although initiated before the PPRD South programme came into effect, the awareness-

raising tours are in line with the purpose of the Euro-Mediterranean Programme for Pre-

vention, Preparedness and Response to Natural and Man-made Disasters. They address

specic needs regarding the management of communities. “Algerian Civil Protection

has used the disasters that have struck the country over recent decades to its best ad-

vantage. It is this key experience that it is now making available to its partners. The PPRD

South programme has proven to be an ideal framework to exchange our experiences

“The organi-

sation of a

tour requires,

above all, the

collection and

analysis of 

statistical

data... Only

after this is

complete

does the tour

take to the

road

“Disasters

know no bor-

ders. In the

past, we did

not know

each other.Exchanges in

the eld of 

civil protec-

tion were

limited to

bilateral rela-

tions. Today

we know

each other

and speak 

the same

language. "

“The Algerian Civil

Protection has used

the disasters it has

been faced with

over recent decadesto its best advan-

tage. It is this key

experience that it is

now making avail-

able to its partners.”

nLieutenant-colonelFouad Lalaoui

nCaptain Karima Ben Saadi

nColonel Mohamed Khellaf 

nThe men of the Algerian

Civil Protection in actionduring a recent catastrophe

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and expertise. Since its launch in 2009 Algeria has

participated in all of its activities, either via its experts

or in the framework of training sessions for its staff”,

emphasises Lieutenant-Colonel Fouad Lalaoui, na-

tional correspondent for the programme.

"The Mediterranean Sea brings us together, it does

not separate us. So we have a common destiny” says

Colonel Mohamed Khellaf, Director of the organiza-

tion and coordination of emergency operations in Al-

geria. “This is why, in our case, it is important to create

a common dynamic, a strong dynamic among all ac-

tors of civil protection of the Mediterranean”. In fact,

this exchange platform is not limited to issues related to training and theory in operational matters. The main

objective of the PPRD South programme is to strengthen the foundations of a lasting relationship between the

institutional and non-institutional actors working towards civil protection in the Euro-Mediterranean area. "We

have the same type of risks - Khellaf continues - it is mainly earthquakes, oods, forest res and landslides. Dis-

asters know no borders. In the past, we did not know each other. Exchanges in the eld of civil protection were

limited to bilateral relations. Today we know each other and speak the same language. "

www.en i-info.eu

  n r

Civil Protection (PPRD South)

Programme for Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Natural and Man-made Disasters

Disaster prevention for an improved response p.3

ENPI Info Centre - Feature no. 43

http://www.euromedcp.eu/

Participating countries

Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan,

Lebanon, Morocco, Occupied

Palestinian Territory, Syria,

 Tunisia, Albania, Bosnia-

Herzegovina, Croatia,

Montenegro and Turkey.

Libya and Mauritania are

observer countries.

Timeframe

2009-2011

Budget 

€5 million

 Aims

 The “Programme for Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Natural and Man-made Disasters”

(PPRD South) contributes to the improvement of the civil protection capacities of Mediterranean

partner countries at international, national and local levels. Building on the achievements of two

previous programmes it contributes to the development of a civil protection culture based on

prevention rather than response. It works with the Civil Protection Authorities of the participating

countries and is managed by a consortium consisting of the Civil Protection Authorities of Italy,

France, Egypt and Algeria as well as the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR).

Find out morePage PPRD South: http://www.enpi-info.eu/mainmed.php?id=245&id_type=10

ENPI Information Centre’s Thematic Portal “Civil Society and Local Authorities”:

http://www.enpi-info.eu/thememed.php?subject=14

 The ENPI Info Centre is an EU-funded RegionalInformation and Communication projecthighlighting the partnership between the EU andNeighbouring countries. The project is managed

by Action Global Communications.

www.enpi-info.eu

nVehicles in the Algerian Civil 

Protection Museum