Algeria demands France's accountability for colonial nuclear waste

Algeria will formally demand France to take responsibility for disposing of nuclear waste produced by nuclear tests conducted in the southern region during the colonial era, Environment and Quality of Life Minister Nadjiba Djilali said.

This demand will be articulated in newly adopted national environmental legislation aimed at ensuring a healthy and sustainable environment for both current and future generations, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Following a plenary session of the Council of the Nation, chaired by Council President Salah Goudjil, the law concerning the management, control, and disposal of waste was approved.

Djilali emphasised that the legislation addresses not only contemporary environmental challenges but also conveys significant messages regarding historical and environmental justice. She highlighted the adverse effects of nuclear explosions executed by colonial forces, referring to these events as “another violation against our nation and our people.”

The minister stressed that France, as the perpetrator of this environmental catastrophe, must ““fully assume its historical, moral, and legal responsibilities in the disposal of this radioactive waste and acknowledge the immense harm it has inflicted on our country and the populations of Adrar, Reggane, In Ekker, and other regions.”

In a supplementary report presented by Mohamed Ben Taba, chair of the Equipment and Local Development Committee of the National Council, support for the minister's directives was affirmed. The report reiterated Algeria's position, insisting that France must take full responsibility for the nuclear waste left from its colonial activities in the Algerian desert.

Ben Taba praised Goudjil’s call to connect Algeria’s past with its present, highlighting the importance of collective memory in building a victorious nation under the leadership of the President of the Republic. The committee encouraged all citizens to engage with this initiative.

Between 1960 and 1966, French colonial authorities carried out a series of nuclear explosions in the Algerian Sahara, including four atmospheric tests and thirteen underground tests, as reported by French officials. However, Algerian historians and officials contend that the actual number of tests is higher, and they assert that the lasting effects pose ongoing risks to the health of local populations and the environment.