Algeria on Thursday marked 50 years since gaining independence from France with pomp and fireworks as media gave a critical assessment of its economic performance five decades after the revolution. The celebrations kicked off with a giant open air performance on Wednesday night inspired by the liberation struggle, followed by nation-wide fireworks displays with more festivities due throughout the coming year. After attending the historical musical.
"The Hero" at the seaside resort of Sidi Fredj where the French landed in 1830, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Thursday visited a memorial for hundreds of thousands of "martyrs" in Algiers. The war for independence lasted seven-and-a-half years and killed 1.5 million Algerians, according to official figures.
Bouteflika, 75, who took part in the war for liberation, placed a wreath of flowers at the shrine which overlooks the bay of Algiers surrounded by top brass and political officials. He later chaired a ceremony for new army graduates. Another fireworks display was to light the skies over the monument on Thursday night. But the celebrations come amid tough times for Algeria, where unemployment tops the 20 percent mark, targeting mostly the country's youth who represent two thirds of the population.
Comments
Comments are closed.