Governance in Algeria

Scholars and political activists have often attributed the lack of substantial development in most, if not all, countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to bad governance, a concept which because it also focuses on such issues as civil society, decentralization, human rights and accountability, has been associated with the notion of democratic governance. In this chapter, the focus is not on a theoretical debate regarding what constitutes and what does not constitute good governance. It takes for granted some of the generally agreed-upon features of good governance. Depending on the type of the political system one is dealing with, government is obviously only one among other actors involved in governance. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), for instance, defines governance as ‘the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented)’. ¹ UN ESCAP identified eight characteristics of good governance: participation; rule of law; transparency; responsiveness; consensus oriented; equity and exclusiveness; effectiveness and efficiency; and accountability. The World Bank defines governance as, ‘the traditions and institutions by which authority in a country is exercised for the common good. This includes (i) the process by which those in authority are selected, monitored and replaced, (ii) the capacity of the government to effectively manage its resources and implement sound policies, and (iii) the respect of citizens and the state for the institutions that govern economic and social interactions among them.’ ² Governance has also been defined as ‘the process whereby public institutions conduct public affairs, manage public resources and guarantee the realization of human rights. Good governance accomplishes this in a manner essentially free of abuse and corruption, and with due regard for the rule of law. The true test of “good” governance is the degree to which it delivers on the promise of human rights: civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. The key question is: are the institutions of governance effectively guaranteeing the right to health, adequate housing, sufficient food, quality education, fair justice and personal security?’ ³