State Secretary Sofiane Chaib Chairs Meeting with Heads of Consular Posts on Digitalizing Consular Services

As part of the regular follow-up on the outcomes of the Conference of Heads of Consular Posts aimed at elevating the consular action framework in service of the national community abroad, the Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in charge of the National Community Abroad, Mr. Sofiane Chaib, chaired today, via videoconference, a meeting with heads of consular posts. The meeting was dedicated to reviewing ongoing efforts to enhance consular services provided to our citizens abroad and evaluating current steps toward implementing the consular digitalization plan along with the digital infrastructure required for its fulfillment.

In his address on this occasion, the Secretary of State reiterated his directives emphasizing the utmost priority that must be accorded to caring for Algerian citizens abroad and upgrading the quality of consular services extended to them. He underscored the importance attached by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to continuing the modernization and digitalization of consular transactions to streamline procedures for the diaspora and respond to their needs swiftly and effectively.

The meeting provided an opportunity to assess the measures taken by the Ministry and our consular network to facilitate consular procedures and shorten processing times for citizens, alongside efforts to accelerate the rollout of the remote biometric passport issuance procedure for members of the national community abroad, which was launched as a pilot phase at the Consulate of Algeria in Paris late last June.

In this regard, the Secretary of State issued the necessary instructions to ensure the successful entry into the second phase of this operation over the coming weeks across select consular posts, prior to its full rollout across the entire diplomatic and consular network within an integrated, step-by-step action plan.

Furthermore, the Secretary of State stressed the necessity of maintaining continuous focus on the national community abroad, delivering the highest standard of consular services, and constantly improving reception conditions. He affirmed the importance of holding regular meetings with diaspora members to listen to their concerns and brief them on state initiatives undertaken for their benefit, in execution of the high directives of the country's senior leadership.