Latest news with #nationalDefense
Asharq Al-Awsat
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Algeria: Parliamentary Committee Urges Construction of Civilian Shelters Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Amid escalating tensions with neighboring Sahel countries, a parliamentary committee in Algeria has recommended the construction of shelters to protect civilians as part of preparations for a proposed 'General Mobilization Law.' The initiative signals Algeria's readiness to face potential foreign aggression and reflects a broader government effort to bolster national defense capabilities. The Legal Committee of the People's National Assembly, Algeria's lower house of parliament, reviewed the government's draft mobilization law and called for swift action to establish logistical infrastructure and protective facilities such as shelters, adapted to emergency and wartime conditions. The committee's recommendations emphasized not only physical preparedness but also the psychological mobilization of the Algerian public. The committee advocated for increased investment in technological capabilities to ensure national cybersecurity. It also encouraged support for Algerian researchers and innovators, both within the country and abroad, to develop locally-produced digital content. This push stems from concerns over foreign social media platforms, which the government has accused of disseminating false information and undermining public trust. Significantly, the committee also proposed exploring the involvement of prisoners in the mobilization effort, suggesting their potential contribution in times of national crisis. The report marks a key step toward parliamentary debate scheduled for the coming week, after which the draft law will be submitted for a vote. In its justification, the committee cited what it described as Algeria being 'targeted by colonial powers and contemporary forces of evil,' including internal and regional actors. It referenced an increasingly unstable regional and international environment, calling for early and comprehensive preparation to safeguard sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity. The proposed legislation aims to marshal both material and human resources. However, the committee stressed that its core purpose is to prepare Algerians morally and psychologically to withstand various forms of aggression, whether military, through enhanced defense readiness, or economic, by supporting local industry and reducing dependency on imports and the informal economy. The report also outlined objectives in the political and diplomatic arenas, urging the continuation of institutional development and the strengthening of Algeria's foreign relations based on mutual respect and advocacy for global justice. In the media and cultural domains, the draft law calls for purging the media sector of so-called 'intruders' and countering foreign cultural influence. It emphasizes the role of educational and religious institutions, especially mosques, in promoting national spirit and resilience. The committee called on Algerians to unite behind the country's political leadership, security forces, and constitutional institutions. It emphasized national solidarity as essential to countering external threats and ensuring the success of the mobilization initiative. The mobilization law was introduced following an incident in April in which Algeria's air force shot down a Malian drone, sparking diplomatic tension. Niger and Burkina Faso sided with Mali, intensifying regional strain. Although tensions with France have also flared, there is no indication of imminent conflict. The draft law includes provisions to shift the military to wartime readiness, suspend discharges and retirements for key personnel, recall reservists, and reorient industrial production and resource usage to support national defense.
Asharq Al-Awsat
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Taiwan President Rallies the Troops Ahead of Possible Chinese Drills
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te offered his support and encouragement to the armed forces on Friday ahead of what the government has warned could be a new round of Chinese military exercises near the island from as early as next week. Taiwan cannot rule out that China will hold more military drills to "stir up trouble" around Tuesday's one-year anniversary of Lai taking office, a senior government spokesperson said on Thursday in Taipei. China calls Lai a "separatist" and has rebuffed his multiple offers for talks. Lai rejects China's sovereignty claims over the democratic and entirely separately governed island, saying only Taiwan's people can decide their future. Lai visited army engineers and anti-submarine helicopter crews at bases in the southern city of Kaohsiung to thank them for their efforts before the traditional Dragon Boat festival at the end of the month. Both the army engineers and the navy's anti-submarine aviation command are the "cornerstones of the nation's armed forces' military strength, and also indispensable to the overall national defense strategy", he told a group of helicopter crew at a lunch at Kaohsiung's Zuoying navy base. "It is only because of your hard work and dedication that the military continues to thrive and the nation's people can live and work in peace and happiness," he added. "Let's work together to protect national security." Lai, who made no direct mention of China or potential for more drills, was accompanied by Defense Minister Wellington Koo and National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu, two of his most senior defense officials. China's Defense Ministry and Taiwan Affairs Office said this week that Lai was a "Taiwan Strait crisis maker" who had increased antagonism and confrontation and undermined peace and stability. Last month, China held war games code-named "Strait Thunder-2025A" around Taiwan, the "A" at its end suggesting there could be more to come. China called its May 2024 drills "Joint Sword - 2024A", held shortly after Lai took office, and in October of that year staged "Joint Sword - 2024B".
