The general overwhelming trend that is prevailing in Algeria is the important amount of actions undertaken by both public authorities and private actors and their valuable efforts in developing a general information background to informing the population on the importance, the progress, the improvements that new technologies are expected to put forward.

The following are the most prominent promotional actions organised throughout the ESIS II period. These actions deal mainly with seminaries, conferences and shows rather than publications or written products. This is due to the fact that such actions have less impact on the population which is more receptive to shows and similar events.

During the ESIS II period, about 60 promotional actions had taken place. They are mentioned below according to their appropriate category:

The law n° 98-11 of August 22, 1998 on scientific research and technological development enhances and accelerates the development of information and telecommunication national network (Art.3).

The government has set up several administrative and research organisations to develop the scientific and technological aspects in different sectors at different levels. For instance:

The national research programme in science and technology co-ordinated by the DCR for Research Co-ordination Directorate, is a plate-form of setting a national plan of research programmes in applied sciences and technologies. Funded by a governmental grant, the projects are selected according to their orientation to the national needs in different sectors. Every three years, an open call for project submission is issued by the DCR.

There is a national research programme in healthcare co-ordinated by ANDRS (National Agency for the Development of Research in Health). This program is a framework for the definition of the national priorities in the field of healthcare. Every three years, a call for project proposals is issued and a state funding is granted for the selected projects.

ARN or Algerian Research Network aims at promoting local Intranet networks. It affords a good background for valorisation of activities, service access and information sharing between universities.

The creation of research poles on information and data processing and development of research in library sciences.

As far as products and services are concerned there is a gradual development of electronic publishing, information dissemination, information retrieval, production of catalogues, documentary engineering and electronic archiving at public research centres. The emergence of the private sector on data banks and, recently, on Internet services is to play a crucial part in this field.

Within a national programme that is aiming at promoting information sharing, the following features have been set up: Algerian catalogue of magazines, theses and monographs, Algerian Scientific Abstract ASA, DZ-INET network of regional site interconnection, Alstinet network of documentation, Academic Network of Research ARN, national offices of Issn, Isbn and Isrn at CERIST, documentary network at National Centre of Land use, CNAT.

The Training Department of CERIST holds several specialised post-graduation (SPG) studies. There is the SPG on technical and scientific information and a more recent one which has just started this academic year on e-security along with continuous training programs in information technologies on demand.

At a regional level, and in the Euro-Mediterranean co-operation framework, Algeria is involved in several programmes and initiatives connected to the promotion of the Information Society.

Information Technologies Nodes project, EUMEDIS initiative and IST programme are examples of regional actions in which Algeria takes part.

The Opening of five 'Medialibraries' in the suburb of Algiers: They are premises equipped to facilitate the Internet access (like 'cyber cafes') to help every one looking for any information.

A governmental action has made the previous decisions more palpable towards the introduction of ICTs in schools. The academic year 2000/2001 has been opened with the endowment of 28 schools with computer equipment including the Internet access and an appropriate training for the teachers.

SAIDAL, the greatest Algerian pharmaceutical company has launched an important operation of training in New technologies and Internet directed to its staff, in the light of the managers’ awareness on the importance of ICTs for competition in the economy of today. This operation is to last 6 months from July to December 2000 and will target more than 100 trainees.

National Information System Seminar: State and perspectives (June 1999.) This second edition of the seminar has debated the following themes: National Information Policy and Programmes, Sectorial Information Systems and networks, Emergent Technologies, NIS for National Information System, Academic and Research Network ARN, Internet in University Libraries, Virtual National Library, Electronic Edition, Promotion and regulation instruments of NIS, Training-Teaching-Research in Information Science (The Information Profession in the NICT era)

Open Days on Computing (September 1999). EGIC school of Oran (West) organized few days on the occasion of the re-opening of professional training schools. The objective of this meeting was to inform and make people aware of the importance of computing and the Internet. It also included: Exhibitions, briefings on computing kits, lectures-debates on Internet, multi-media and computing networks.

International Exhibition of Computing and Future Technologies or SIFTECH Sud (October 1999).Organised by South Com company with the collaboration of specialised firms. The major events concerned the new information and communication technologies.

Computing and Advanced Technologies Exhibition (October 1999). The show aimed at presenting the effort displayed by the city of Constantine (East) in the advanced technologies field, as well as the results obtained in this city as far as communication and information sciences are concerned. Several lectures were given on the following themes: The significance of computing systems in the company, Internet and Intranet networks, Internet and the university, Y2K, computing virus issues, creation of Web sites, medical imagery, transfer of data.

New Information and Communication Technologies International Show or TECHMEDIA 99 (November 1999). This international exhibition consisted on computing, telecommunication and media kits show. It also aimed at enhancing exchanges between specialists of different fields, the sharing of experiences and above all bringing together the Maghreb and the Mediterranean countries. This show covered days of studies dedicated to the following set of themes: E-business, servers of application/ connection of companies, Internet/ networks and bandwidths in the corporate networks, animation of these days of studies was ensured by specialists and experts from Algeria and the Maghreb region.

Future Technologies and Computing International Show or SIFTECH Oran (Nov-Dec1999).

This action made it possible for the public and professional visitors and experts to be informed about the products and services offered by the exhibitors as regards information technologies.

PCs, telephony and communication kits, technical software and management software were presented at the time of this show.

The Arab Conference on the use of Computer Science for Tele-Education dealt with the modernisation and the exchange of remote teaching techniques.

Computing and Internet workshops was a scientific event dedicated to the use of computer and Internet by pupils.

Seminar on the "Contribution of New information and Communication technologies". It was a meeting dedicated to ICTs and their issues in the daily life.

Professional Audio-visual Show (see specific entry in the database), an event combining video and computer broadcasting, intended for technicians and other specialists concerned by the audio-visual sector.

VIP Group Seminary on the current tendencies of the New information and Communication Technologies: the theme was essentially about the e-commerce, the net-economy and the fast changes that the Internet has brought about particularly for the commercial processes and competition.

The First Conference On the Scientific Talk: The core theme of the conference was the introduction of new ICTs and their impact on the teaching/learning process.

The company and the Internet: It was the theme of a day study which focused on the importance of the Internet for the progress of SMEs.

The Telecommunications International Day: celebrated in different cities of the country with shows and conferences on the ICTs and telecommunications issues.

Salon de la presse/The Cross Road of Communication: this meeting/show lasted for five days. Its central concerns were the media and the modern technological challenges they have to face and adopt.

Technological Seminary on the Information Systems’ Security: this event gathered many experts in the field of the information systems for two days.

Le Salon de l’informatique/Computer Science Show (SICOM 2000): The main interest of the SICOM 2000 was communication, computer science, communication technologies and the scientific and technical research.

Information Technologies Show (SIFTECH 2000): A lot of seminaries had been arranged with varied subjects, such as, Information Technologies at the Service of Mankind, where students, teachers and other participants had the opportunity to know more about ICTs.

Computer Science Evolution: The talks were technical but they ended up with a major conclusion which is to foster the expansion of the use of computer sciences in all fields without distinction on behalf the world development.

EUMEDIS Information Day: Being the focal point for Algeria, the CERIST is to conduct a meeting on the 26th of June 2000 for the dissemination of this initiative to the largest possible range of people and institutions.

Information Technologies Show (SIFTECH-Est): Another meeting intended to the promotion of the information society and the new technologies. This show involved a few seminaries dedicated to ICTs and their applications.

Computer Science and the New Millenium: Many addresses were given to support the importance of ICTs. Titles such as An Introduction to E-Commerce, The Information Systems and the Companies, The E-Commerce Technologies, are among the various talks presented to the participants who mainly were companies’ managers.

The National Seminar on the Implantation of Modern Technologies in the Educational System: The Meetings devoted the discussions and talks to education and the new information technologies and the importance of the latter as a pedagogical means.

The First national Seminar on Distance Learning: It gathered a lot of teachers in order to discuss the new changes and challenges that ICTs has brought about in teaching techniques and methodologies.

Expo-Med 2000: an event/international meeting that took place in a province near Algiers and held the exposition of new inventions of young participants.

In the EUMEDIS initiative framework, the Algerian focal point for this initiative organised (from July to December 2000) more than 10 (ten) thematic workshops. The themes dealt with the five sectors of interest of the EUMEDIS initiative: Health networks, E-commerce, Multimedia access to tourism and cultural heritage, Research applied to industry, commerce and innovation and ICTs applied to Training.

Health and communication new technology show (November 2000): Organised by SITEC (Information and communication technology) and El-Wahat (Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Touggourt), this meeting held exposition stands, seminars, workshops, specialised curriculum for training and informing the visitors in addition to a scientific tourism sightseeing. All these activities were linked to new communication and management technologies in health care sector, in distant training, in distant support of highly skilled persons and the positive impact of the use of the Internet in health care.

Three Days of Study (October 2000): INPED and CNTC with the collaboration of ONUDI, a three-day seminar on the production control/management and new technologies animated by national and international experts. The theme of the seminar concentrated on the improvement of the production control alongside the development of new technologies. It was specifically addressed to managers and persons in charge of production in the field of either private or state-owned textile industries.

Seminar on the Algerian-Canadian partnership (October 2000): With the participation of high officials, both Algerian and Canadian counterparts have talked and discussed the co-operation of their companies particularly in telecom and new technologies sectors. The Algerian economic and regulatory background seems to be ready to opening these sectors to private operators and even to foreign ones as the calls for tender are to be released very soon.

NTIC Forum aiming at the ‘democratisation ‘of new technologies to creating a true IS in the country. The Forum gathered more than 100 participants that presented the latest innovative creations in telecom, Internet and networks technologies.

SIFTECH Sud: In November 2000 this great appointment for both amateurs and specialists of ICTs has been in time.

Telecom New technologies Seminar: With the collaboration of the Chinese company Huawei Technologies, the Ministry of Posts and Telecom arranged a three-day seminar devoted to telecommunications new technologies.

In November 2000 a seminar on "Banks, Insurance and New Technologies" took place:

The aim behind this seminar was to depict the importance of new technologies in the management of modern companies. The meeting focused on the tremendous changes and facilities that the Internet and new working tools have brought to all sectors of activity. VIP Group organised this seminar in order to inform decision makers, managers, head of projects, directors etc. on the new opportunities banks and insurance sector would gain through these technologies in general and Internet in particular.

Information Day on the (Academic Research Network) ARN project: It was the opportunity to presenting the infrastructure aspect of the ARN network (see specific entry in the database.)

Virtual Learning (a perspective) was the title of a seminar on the NT nowadays and the opportunities they offer in the realisation of on line educational courses and the merits of Internet-based education but taking into account some key policy issues like teachers training and intellectual property rights.

During the EUMEDIS Information Day, ESIS II project was presented with some recent statistics on the Algerian projects.

The Arab Conference on Library Science and databases: A conference specialised in library science that ends up with crucial recommendations connected to the creation of specialised networks and the use of ICTs.

ICTs Applied to Health Care: was the theme of the conference arranged by FOREM (la fondation pour la promotion de la santé et le développement de la recherche medicale). It highlighted the importance of the use of ICTs in the healthcare sector. Some experts supported this view with examples on telemedecine that are already modifying medical practices.

In the framework of the implementation of a national research programme, the Scientific and Technical Research Centre on Arid Regions or CRSTRA has issued a call for proposal of scientific research projects for the incoming year 2001 in the field of 'desertification' (social aspects, regulatory and institutional aspects, sustainable development and the use of ICTs.

There is a growing interest of the media in general, some magazines and newspapers in particular, on new information technologies which save more and more room in their columns to ICTs, Internet and the Information society.