Over the whole period of the ESIS II inventory many organisations had been recorded as key actors that play, directly or indirectly, a role in the promotion of the information society in Algeria. These organisations have different tasks, as they are important elements in the development of the IS. Some of them are legislative and regulatory bodies, some are mainly devoted to information and the arrangement of shows and meetings, others develop and offer technological services, etc. They all co-operate, in a way, to build up a sustainable national strategy for an actual progress.

This report gives an overall description of these organisations according to the category to which they belong (regulatory bodies, training bodies, information and animation bodies, technological service providers, standardisation bodies and IS project leaders).

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has been the sole telecom operator during more than 25 years, therefore monopolising all the activities of this sector. But the new governmental measures set a new legal and regulatory background for a gradual liberalisation.

In December 1999, one of the major changes that the political scene witnessed is the substitution of the members of the Government. This newly appointed government has actually reinforced the policy of the previous one towards a more free market and the liberalisation of different economic sectors including that of posts and telecommunications. Under Mr Meghlaoui’s P & T administration the programme that had been planned by the former government was carried out and implemented.

The telecommunications sector is now open to private investment and operators.

After the liberalisation of Internet services provision to private operators in 1998, an Inter-ministerial commission was created for providing agreements. Mr Mahieddine Ouhadj has been appointed President of this commission in charge of the delivery of ISPs agreements at the ministry of Posts & Telecommunications (P&T). He has participated in many meetings connected to the information society and new technologies.

CERIST (Research Centre on Scientific and technical Information) created under the decree n# 85-56 of March 16^th, 1985, is a public research centre. In the decree it is clearly stipulated that in addition to its role in the development of a national scientific and technical information system, the CERIST is allowed to study and propose regulatory measures for the development of the scientific and technical information. It is also endowed with the right to propose the appropriate measures to ensure a balanced dissemination and flow of the scientific and technical information nation-wide.

The Ministry of Communication and Culture, is in charge of media (written press, Radio and TV broadcasting and all the cultural activities).

The ANVREDET, national office of valorisation of research results and technological development, has been created by a ministerial Decree (n° 98-137 of May 3, 1998). It elaborates the national strategy of technological development and organises the implementation of observatories and networks for technology dissemination.

CNES for Social and Economic National Council, is in charge of reviewing, periodically, the economic and social activities of the country. The council will have certainly a great role to play in information society assessment.

• INI (Institut National d’Informatique - National Institute of Data Processing) is the main national institute of training and research in data processing. It leads some IS projects at research level.
  
• CERIST is also a provider of specialised technical courses in ICTs, Internet, networks, besides its research activities in technical and scientific information.

• CERIST has often arranged seminars, days of study and meetings on ICTs at a national level. Its services are periodically required to participate in and animate technical events dealing with new technologies.
  
• CACI (Algerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) is taking part in many ICT activities towards SMEs concerning economic and industrial affairs. It is getting more active in promoting co-operation actions and different partnerships in the Mediterranean area.
  
• VIP Group (Visual Image Promotion Group) is a consultant office in communication and management that is involved in the organisation of regular seminars and events connected to ICTs such as, Com Net and Tech-Media.
  
• ISA or Internet Society of Algeria is an association created for the promotion of the Internet. It has led many actions as papers and seminars for the promotion of this new technology.
  
• ASTEIN is a computing company that has in charge, since 1988, the arrangement of shows bound to information and communication technologies like, SIFTECH, SIFTECH-Sud and SIFTECH-Pro.
  
• University of Engineering Science of Constantine was involved in some actions connected to the importance of the use of ICTs.
  
• The local authority Wilaya of Algiers – formerly called 'Gouvernorat du Grand Alger' – initiated a wide programme of creation of cybercentres in different districts of the capital city. This action had a great impact. it indeed became the forerunner of many other initiatives in other big cities all around the country. This promotion action was successful and generated concrete impacts.
  
• SAFEX is an economic (public) company whose main objective is the promotion of the national export rate. Its core activity is to handle and arrange regular economic shows and manifestations in Algeria or abroad such as, SICOM annual exhibition.
  
• SITEC a private organisation connected to communication technologies.
  
• Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Touggourt El-Wahat (southern region of Algeria) plays also a key role in the development of the information society in Algeria.
  
• INPED is a public institution for the development and production in industry. It is also involved in information and communication technologies development, with the co-operation of the ONUDI (an international organisation).

• CERIST is the first and the most important ISP in Algeria. It supplies many services such as, networking, development of information systems, Intranets and Internet applications.
  
• GECOS, General Computing Systems, has been one of the main promoters of Algerian written press to access Internet. This organisation, which was awarded international golden star for quality, acts nowadays as Internet provider.
  
• EEPAD is one of the Algerian private ISPs specialised in tele-education services located in Annaba, East Algeria. In addition to being an Internet Service Provider, it offers tele-training services on computing and electronics.
  
• IMITIAGE Technologies Company is active in Computing, Communication and Internet technologies (Studies, Advice, software design and installation of business networks, multimedia and CDROM design for company presentation, training). It has been an Internet service provider since 16/08/99.
  
• BMGI International is an office specialised in investment, partnership, business evaluation and economic and financial data. On 16/08/99, it was authorised to act as legal Internet Service Provider.
  
• TDA for Algerian Tele diffusion (broadcasting), ORNET, ACINET, Djazair Com, ICOS Net, Ghardaia Net, Procom International are Internet Service Providers that got provision agreements since 1998.

• IANOR, Algerian Institute of Standardisation has been created by a ministerial decree n° 98-69 of February 21, 1998. It set up the policy of standardisation notably in the application of conventions and international agreements.
  

• CERIST has a laboratory with the specific mission of studying and submitting standards for data collection, data processing and information dissemination. In such projects like national information networks and union national directories, CERIST offers documentary Engineering services and consulting.
  

• CERT (Research and Study Centre of Telecommunications) set up programs of studies and researches for the modernisation of the national telecommunication network, by introducing new technologies, conceiving prototypes of equipment and material and setting new methods of development. It updates the validity of technologies in conformity with national and international standards.

• CERIST is leading many IS projects. It is working on the implementation of national specialised networks like, The Academic Research Network ARN and The Library Union Directory Network. It is also involved as co-ordinator or local partner in some European initiatives like IT Nodes, EUMEDIS and ESIS II.
  
• CDTA (Research Centre in Advanced Technology) gets involved with technologies of information and leads some IS projects and initiatives as tele-teaching.
  
• ALGESOC (Algerian Network for the Development of Social sciences) is a network of trainers and researchers that acts for the promotion of Social science.
  
• ANDS (Health Documentation National Agency) is an agency in charge of the implementation of a National Server of Healthcare. It also undertakes some IS projects like telemedecine.
  
• CAN (Centre of National Archives) works mainly for the preservation, processing and valorisation of the national archives.
  
• CCI Sahel (Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Sahel) plays a representative, administrative and economical development role. It is in charge of the introduction of all needed legislative changes related to commerce, industry, taxation and custom tariffs . Add to this, it also play a role in training and information.
  
• Direction of Education Tlemcen, is a department which has in charge education affairs. It plays a key role in the connection of schools to the Internet through its involvement in the IS project "Schools Internet connection".
  
• PROMEX (Algerian Office of External Commerce Promotion) that supports the import/Export transactions, makes business contact with foreign operators, besides its access to economical and commercial information sources, and to data bases on commercial regulations.
  
• SATIM (Plastic Money and Automation of Inter-Bank Transactions), though previously mentioned as a key organisation and an IS project leader, is currently active in the field of banking system reformation. As a matter of fact, the "Specialised inter-bank network" project has been recently launched.
  
• SEFP (State Secretariat for Professional Training) is in charge of the professional training. It has launched a wide project of connection of all the institutions of the sector to Internet and the implementation of an administrative Intranet.
  
• HOLDMAN (Public Holding of Manufacturing Industries) manages more than 114 companies and is leading a wide project of interconnection of these companies.
  
• LAMOS (Laboratory of system Modellisation and Optimisation) is a laboratory of the University of Béjaia which is launching projects related to school interconnection at the Mediterranean level.
  
• SNTF (National Company of Railway Transport) is involved in an IS project of railway tickets sale automation.
  
• CNERIB (National Centre of Studies and Research on Building) is involved in an important IS project.
  
• CCI Seybouse (Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Seybouse) plays a similar role as CCI Sahel (mentioned