Introduction.

This report presents a comprehensive assessment of Algeria's sovereignty based on the methodology of the Burke Institute. Sovereignty is considered in 7 areas: political, economic, technological, informational, cultural, cognitive and military. Each aspect is assessed on the basis of official data from international and national sources (UN, World Bank, UNESCO, IMF, ITU, FAO, SIPRI, PISA, etc.), without using politicized indexes. The maximum score in each direction is 100; the sum (up to 700) forms the Cumulative Sovereignty Index (Burke Index).

To adapt and adjust the statistical parameters, an international expert survey was conducted for each of the seven components on a common questionnaire of 10 questions with a score on a 10-point scale with one open question. In total, at least 100 experts from 50+ countries were interviewed for each indicator, taking into account geographical representation and expert specialization.

Calculating and analyzing the data, equalizing coefficients were used to bring all the data to a scale of 0-10 points. The final value of the index is the arithmetic mean between statistical data and expert estimates. Below is an analysis in each area, a final summary table and the main conclusions about the strengths and weaknesses of Algeria's sovereignty.

Political sovereignty 42.6

Algeria enjoys a high degree of political independence in the foreign arena. There are no foreign military bases in the country (a principled position since 1962), and international sanctions are not applied (there are no active UN Security Council sanctions regimes).

Algeria's participation in UN operations is minimal – only 2 military observers in the missions for March 2025, which indicates an independent defense policy (does not rely on external forces). Internal political and administrative institutions are functioning steadily, although their effectiveness is estimated to be average.

E-Government Index (EGDI) The UN for Algeria is moderate – 0.5956 (116th place), indicating an average level of digital public services. At the same time, the e–participation index is extremely low - 0.0548 (187th place), which reflects the weak involvement of citizens in online management.

The World Bank estimates the effectiveness of the government at -0.67 (on a scale of -2.5...+2.5; a negative value is worse than average), and the quality of regulation at -0.95 (rather low). Political stability is also limited (index -0.58), although the violent crime rate is low (1.57 murders per 100,000 population).

Corruption control is weak (-0.59), indicating the prevalence of corruption risks. The indicator "Voice and accountability" (democratic freedoms) is extremely low: -0.98, 149th out of 192. This confirms the limited political competition and freedom of speech. Nevertheless, opinion polls show high confidence in the army (79%) and lower confidence in Parliament (35%) and the courts (42%) (Arab Barometer, additional data).

Data completeness assessment: Data on most indicators of political sovereignty are available from global sources (UN, World Bank, UNODC, etc.), which provides ~95% coverage. Missing or unofficial indicators (for example, trust in institutions) are taken into account based on an international expert survey.

In general, Algeria's political sovereignty can be appreciated quite highly due to its independence and control over the territory, despite shortcomings in the quality of governance and civil liberties. Possible topics for expert discussion:

• How effectively does Algeria maintain the independence of government without external interference?

• To what extent do Algeria's political institutions ensure the stability and accountability of government within the country?

Economic sovereignty 58.3

Algeria's economic sovereignty is characterized by a combination of significant financial autonomy and vulnerabilities due to its dependence on raw materials. On the one hand, the country has a large economy (nominal GDP of $263.6 billion in 2024) and a per capita income of ~$5,631, belonging to the middle-high income group.

International reserves are significant – $83.0 billion (for 2024), including ~174 tons of gold (4th in Africa). This provides a financial safety cushion and financial stability for the country. External aid has virtually no effect on the budget (<0.1% of GDP) – Algeria is itself a donor, not a recipient, which underlines the economy's independence from foreign aid.

On the other hand, Algeria's economy is extremely ‘monoexportable.’ Hydrocarbons (oil and gas) account for >95% of export revenue, which is critically dependent on commodity market conditions. Economic diversification is low: exports of high–tech products <1% of the total (approx. $250 million), direct investment inflows are modest ($1.22 billion in 2023). Food imports are high, for example, ~7.6 million tons of wheat are imported annually (≈70% of domestic consumption), indicating poor food self-sufficiency.

The national debt is moderate (≈48.6% of GDP) with a very high budget deficit (-10.2% of GDP in 2023), which poses risks to macro sustainability. Inflation remains at a controlled level (~6% per annum at the beginning of 2025), and unemployment is double-digit (11.4% in 2024), reflecting structural problems in the labor market.

Trade openness is average (exports+imports ~44% of GDP) – Algeria trades with the world, but is heavily dependent on imports of critical goods. The Sovereign Income Fund (FRR) has been frozen since 2017 (there is no active welfare fund, which deprives the country of a mechanism for smoothing price shocks (Ministry of Finance of Algeria, additional data).

Data completeness assessment: The main macro indicators are taken from official statistics (World Bank, IMF, UN, etc.), providing almost complete coverage. Some special indicators (for example, the structure of reserve funds) are based on national statements.

In general, Algeria demonstrates financial sovereignty (large reserves, minimal dependence on external aid), but low diversification and import dependence weaken economic sovereignty. The final score is moderate. Possible topics for expert discussion:

• How resilient is Algeria's economy to external shocks (such as falling oil prices) without critical outside help?

• How do you assess Algeria's ability to maintain economic growth and fiscal stability on its own, without foreign financial support?

Technological sovereignty 36.7

Algeria's technological independence is limited. Research and development expenditures amount to only 0.48% of GDP (2017 data), which is significantly lower than the global average, which hinders innovative development. Innovation activity is low: in 2021, Algerian residents filed only 268 patent applications, which is low for a country with ~44 million people. This indicates a weak local inventive base.

The digital infrastructure is not uniformly developed. Internet access is relatively wide: 71.2% of the population are Internet users, and mobile communications are even redundant (109 mobile subscriptions per 100 people).

However, fixed broadband Internet has only ~12 subscribers per 100 people, which indicates the narrowness of wired access (relying on mobile Internet). The bandwidth of international channels is very low – ~33 kbit/s per user (2016 estimate), reflecting the lag in the telecom infrastructure. ICT import substitution is minimal: about 15% of the equipment is produced/assembled in the country (estimate, additional data) – the rest is imported.

Human capital is developing in the technosphere: about 55.5% of young people are enrolled in higher education, ~25% of university graduates specialize in STEM disciplines, which forms a knowledge base. However, the number of researchers is small (~690 per million inhabitants), and the brain drain is noticeable (~25 thousand highly qualified specialists emigrate annually).

The infrastructure for data storage and processing is present (3 Tier III data centers in the country), but the sovereign Internet landscape is just being formed (there is 1 IXP Internet traffic exchange point). Cybersecurity is rated at an average level: according to the ITU global index, the country is only 104th, the National Cyber Index (NCSI) is also low (33.77 points, 100th place). This indicates the limited ability to protect the digital perimeter.

Data completeness assessment: Some key metrics (R&D, throughput) are outdated due to the lack of new data, reducing the completeness of the picture (~85% of indicators are available). An expert survey levels out the data.

In general, Algeria's technological sovereignty is low – the country is heavily dependent on foreign technology and knowledge. With educated youth and basic ICT infrastructure, insufficient investments in science and local technology production limit independence in this area.

Possible topics for expert discussion:

• Is Algeria able to independently create and implement modern technologies without relying on foreign developments?

• How do you assess the level of Algeria's technological dependence on imports (equipment, know-how) and how critical is this dependence for the country's sovereignty?

Information sovereignty 44.9

Algeria is making efforts to control its own information space, but faces challenges in ensuring information freedoms.

The Internet and communications cover a significant part of society (more than 70% of the population is online), but the external network bandwidth is limited (only ~33 kbit/s per user), which may hinder data exchange and digital independence.

The number of autonomous networks (providers) is small – 47 AS-numbers, and national domains.dz registered about 30 thousand, indicating a relatively weak development of the local Internet segment.

In cyberspace, the country established a national CERT (computer emergency response team) in 2020, and cybersecurity measures are being taken. Nevertheless, the ICT security ratings are average (100th in NCSI, 104th in ITU GCI). In 2023, about 2,800 cyber incidents were registered (estimate, additional data), which indicates the presence of cyber threats, which the system copes with varying success. The media space is quite autonomous from external influence, but the state dominates. About 70% of the media market is controlled by state-owned media (additional data).

Television is a key source of information: the daily TV audience reaches ~75% of the population (≈33 million people), and the national press circulates a total of ~3.5 million copies. per day (additional data).

Quotas for national content apply: at least 60% of the airplay on TV and 40% of the music on the radio must be of domestic production (additional data). These measures support cultural and information sovereignty by limiting the penetration of foreign media content.

However, the downside is limited media freedom: according to the "Voice and Accountability" indicator, Algeria is among the laggards (149th place). Internet censorship and information control within the country are quite high (which is indirectly confirmed by the low index of electronic citizen participation).

Data completeness assessment: Official international data (ITU, NCSI, World Bank) cover infrastructural and cyber aspects. National media data was taken from open sources and regulatory requirements. An expert survey levels out the data.

In general, Algeria's information sovereignty can be assessed as moderate: the country largely controls the internal information flow, protecting it from external influence, but at the cost of reducing internal information freedom. The development of digital infrastructure and increasing the openness of information remain areas for growth.

Possible topics for expert discussion:

• How effectively is Algeria protected from external information interference (disinformation, cyber-attacks) and controls its information space?

• To what extent does Algeria manage to balance the country's information security with ensuring freedom of speech and access to information for citizens?

Cultural sovereignty 71.2

Algeria has a rich cultural heritage and actively preserves it, which is a strong side of sovereignty. UNESCO's Intangible Heritage List includes 13 elements of Algerian culture (traditions, customs, crafts). This demonstrates the worldwide recognition of the uniqueness of the Algerian heritage. National identity is supported by the high status of the Arabic language (about 70% of books produced are in Arabic), as well as Berber (the second official language).

The government's cultural policy is a lower priority in the budget: 0.35% of the state budget ($385 million) is spent on culture, which is relatively low (extrapolation, additional data). Nevertheless, there is a cultural life in the country. 10-12 feature films are produced annually (3-4 are purely national, the rest are co-produced).

Attendance at cultural institutions is moderate: Algerians make ~1.2 million visits to museums and ~0.5 million visits to theaters per year (estimated, additional data). About 3,000 books are published annually in the country, and ~600 public libraries operate.

National media and the educational system pay attention to their own history and values, which strengthens cultural sovereignty.

At the same time, Algeria imports more cultural goods than it exports. According to UNESCO, exports of cultural goods amounted to about $5 million (2020), while imports amounted to about $20 million. This indicates the predominance of a foreign cultural product on the market. Our own cultural production (cinema, music) is not yet competitive enough globally.

Assessment of data completeness: The main information is obtained from international databases, however, the actual indicators of cultural production and consumption were partially assessed by experts.

Algeria's cultural sovereignty is highly valued due to the strong preservation of its national culture, language and heritage. Despite modest resources and limited cultural exports, the population retains a strong cultural identity and the state protects cultural space from erosion.

Possible topics for expert discussion:

• How successfully does Algeria preserve and promote its cultural heritage and national identity in the context of globalization?

• To what extent is Algeria's cultural output (cinema, literature, art) competitive and sufficient to maintain cultural sovereignty without the dominance of foreign content?

Cognitive sovereignty 48.6

Cognitive sovereignty reflects a society's ability to generate knowledge, think critically, and maintain value autonomy. Algeria has achieved high human development: the HDI index in 2023 was 0.763 (an increase from 0.745 a year earlier), which corresponds to the upper group of countries with medium development. The state invests heavily in education – about 5.61% of GDP, providing almost complete literacy among young people and broad education.

Completion of primary school is close to 100% (99.7% of children complete primary school education), and higher education enrollment exceeds 55% of young people – one of the highest rates in Africa. Adult literacy reaches ~81.4% (2018), but there is still a gap in the literacy of older generations. The curricula are predominantly national (>95% of the content is developed locally), which supports independent thinking and the transmission of values consistent with Algerian culture.

The quality of education results still lags behind international standards. In the PISA international testing (2015), Algerian schoolchildren scored an average of 350-376 points (in reading, mathematics, and science), significantly below the OECD average (~500), reflecting problems with the quality of schooling.

This affects functional literacy, estimated at about 65% (extrapolation, additional data) – that is, a significant part of the population has difficulties applying knowledge in practice. The media literacy of the population is estimated at about 45/100 – there are basic information use skills, but critical perception of information is limited. At the same time, the prestige of science is high in society: ~72% of Algerians trust science (Welcome survey), which has a positive effect on the perception of knowledge.

Algeria is facing a brain drain – every year ~25,000 educated professionals emigrate in search of better opportunities, which weakens the national cognitive potential. However, most of the students study within the country, and the number of international students is small (<2%), which means the self-sufficiency of the education system (but also limited internationalization of knowledge).

Data completeness assessment: Indicators of human development, education and science are mostly available from official sources (UNDP, UNESCO, OECD, etc.). The lack of new PISA data and up-to-date statistics on functional literacy is offset by rough estimates. Algeria's cognitive sovereignty is highly valued due to the widespread availability of education and the preservation of the national character of education.

However, the quality of education and the outflow of talent are holding back full cognitive sovereignty – the country will have to improve learning outcomes and create opportunities for qualified personnel to stay at home.

Possible topics for expert discussion:

• Does Algeria's education system provide citizens with sufficient knowledge and critical thinking for the independent development of the country?

• How successfully does Algeria retain its own talents and develop human capital without relying on foreign intellectual resources?  

Military sovereignty 52.4

Algeria has one of the most combat-ready and autonomous armies in the region, which reinforces its high military sovereignty. Military spending is extremely high: $18.26 billion in 2023 (an increase of almost 2 times per year), which is 8.17% of GDP – one of the highest rates in the world. Such investments make it possible to maintain large armed forces of ~326,000 troops (for 2020) and carry out large-scale modernization.

The structure of the military budget is balanced: about 40% for the maintenance of personnel, 35% for the purchase of weapons, 20% for operation and 5% for military research and development. This indicates a desire not only to have a large army, but also to equip it with modern weapons and technologies.

Algeria's defense industry is developing, but it is not yet fully meeting its needs. There are 8-10 main military-industrial complex enterprises operating in the country with a total employment of ~15 thousand people (estimate, additional data). Local assembly of some systems has been established (Fuchs armored vehicles, small arms – Kalashnikov assault rifles, etc.), which gives ~ 25% localization of defense production (estimate, additional data). Nevertheless, dependence on arms imports remains significant (≈75%).

Algeria remains the largest importer of weapons in Africa, although imports have declined in recent years (in 2024 – $128 million in conventional SIPRI units vs $393 million in 2023). There are no arms exports of its own – the country produces weapons only for domestic needs. This limits global influence, but does not affect the ability to defend oneself.

Algeria fully controls its territory and borders. The length of the borders is ~ 6,734 km, they are guarded by ~ 45 thousand border guards (data from the directory, additional data), providing protection against the penetration of illegal armed groups. There are no foreign bases or combat contingents of other countries on Algerian soil, which underlines independence in the field of security.

The Algerian army does not participate in foreign operations (there are no own bases abroad) and is little involved in peacekeeping missions (only a few observer officers), focusing on protecting its own state. Internal security is strictly maintained: the country successfully suppressed the threat of terrorism in the 2000s and remains stable.

Data completeness assessment: Statistics on military expenditures, numbers, and imports of weapons are obtained from reputable sources (SIPRI, the World Bank, and the United Nations), providing ~90% of the indicators.

Some data on the national military-industrial complex and the structure of the troops were evaluated by experts from open sources (additional data). Algeria's military sovereignty is very high – the country is able to ensure its own security thanks to a powerful army and the absence of external military control.

Dependence on external suppliers of weapons and technology remains a bottleneck, but accumulated reserves and diversification of procurement sources mitigate this risk.

Possible topics for expert discussion:

• To what extent is Algeria able to provide its own national defense without relying on foreign military forces and alliances?

• How do you assess the level of development of Algeria's own military-industrial complex and its sufficiency for the country's military sovereignty?

The main conclusions

Strengths: political independence, military might, financial stability, cultural identity. Algeria successfully avoids external pressure – there are no sanctions and no foreign bases, the army is able to protect the country's sovereignty. Significant gold and foreign exchange reserves and low dependence on external aid support macroeconomic stability. A rich cultural heritage and a unified national identity ensure the resilience of society to external ideological influences.

Weaknesses: technological dependence, low economic diversification, limited media freedom. The economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas exports (>95% of exports) and food imports, which creates vulnerability to external price shocks. Technological backwardness (low R&D costs, dependence on imported technologies) limits competitiveness and cyber resilience. The information sphere is controlled by the state at the cost of reducing pluralism – freedom of speech and public participation in governance remain limited.

Overall assessment. Algeria's cumulative Sovereignty Index is 354.7 out of 700 possible points (50.7%), which reflects the average level by global standards. The data show that Algeria remains largely self-sufficient, especially politically and militarily, but it depends on external factors in technology and economics.

Specifically, there is a high dependence on hydrocarbons (a critical share of exports) and exceptionally high military spending (8.17% of GDP). The development of e-government and ICT infrastructure, although progressing, remains moderate (EGDI ~0.60) against the background of global leaders. At the same time, the indicators of education and human development are quite high (HDI 0.763), reflecting success in investing in human capital. The remaining data gaps (~10% of the indicators) do not fundamentally affect the conclusions; their filling will require access to Algerian national statistics or additional expert surveys (Delphi method).

Overall, Algeria's strong point is the ability to maintain its sovereignty of decisions and defense, relying on its own institutions and resources. The main challenges are the transition from a resource–based economy to an innovative one, reducing technological backwardness and expanding information freedoms without losing control. Meeting these challenges will allow Algeria to strengthen all aspects of national sovereignty and increase its integral index in the future.