Background
Born on February 1918, at Sidi bel Abbes in the western region.
Born on February 1918, at Sidi bel Abbes in the western region.
Educated locally but his studies never went very far.
His impeccable revolutionary record, going back to 1939, has assured him a strong position in the Revolutionary Council. As the third Minister of Agriculture since the 1965 coup he has proved himself the most vigorous advocate of agrarian relorm and the most energetic ministerial traveller round the regions seeing what progress is being achieved.
His interest in politics began in 1939 with his membership of the Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties (MTLD). After the 1939-1945 war he was admitted to the OS—the Secret Organisation. In 1956 he became a freedom fighter and rose to commander in Wilaya V. From 1959 to 1962 he was operations commander on the Algeria-Morocco border.
After independence in 1962 he became Director-General of National Security but because he was not on good terms with Ben Bella he was not considered at cabinet-making in those days. In February 1965 he was appointed Ambassador to Brazil. Four months later when Boumedienne’s coup ousted Ben Bella he became a member of the Revolutionary Council and was given an important role in party reorganisation as one of the five members of the secretariat of the National Liberation Front (FLN).
He was brought into the cabinet to give fresh impetus to agricultural development so that the benefits of the revolution could be conveyed to the peasants on the land. It was not easy for him at the start because the first four- year plan up to 1973 put priority on industrial development of the country's oil and gas wealth. But with the National Commission of Agrarian Revolution (CNRA) set up by Boumedienne on January 11, 1972, he was given more scope and by the first few months of 1973 he was beginning to show encouraging results.
Ascetic-looking but not an intellectual, he makes up for his academic shortcomings with a great capacity for hard work and profound loyalty to the party.