Algeria has submitted 335 international judicial assistance requests to 32 countries to track, freeze, and seize criminal proceeds, according to Justice Minister Lotfi Boudjemaa. He made the announcement during the opening ceremony of the African Day Against Corruption, held on Sunday, July 20, 2025, in Algiers by the High Authority for Transparency, Prevention, and Fight Against Corruption.
Boudjemaa emphasized that recovering corruption-related proceeds is a key part of combating this scourge. He noted that Algeria’s judicial authorities have issued 335 international rogatory commissions to trace and confiscate criminal assets, with responses varying by country.
Additionally, 53 requests for asset recovery have been sent to 11 countries, including one African nation. These efforts are continuously monitored by judicial authorities and a national commission of experts tasked with recovering misappropriated funds abroad, coordinating with relevant parties, as reported by APS.
To strengthen its efforts, Algeria has joined several international networks, including the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (StAR) under the World Bank, the Global Forum on Asset Recovery (GFAR) with the World Bank and UNODC, the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network), the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC), and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) in Italy.
Boudjemaa also highlighted Algeria’s recent membership in the Middle East and North Africa Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (ARIN-MENA). This step has boosted recovery efforts following bilateral meetings with concerned states during the 2023 Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption.
The Justice Ministry has organized periodic video conferences with representatives of requested countries and sent expert delegations abroad. Diplomatic efforts to raise awareness among foreign authorities have also led to the recovery of several assets and funds. However, Boudjemaa noted challenges, including complex judicial procedures and the involvement of multiple entities (judicial and diplomatic authorities) in partner countries.
