Outgoing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s Message to Algerian people

The following is APS’ translation of the message:

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

Prayers and peace be upon his messenger, his family and his companions until the Day of Judgment,

Dear sisters, dear brothers,

Upon leaving my post (as president of the Republic), I cannot end my presidential career without addressing my last message (to you), as I would not like to leave the national political scene without apologizing to my compatriots, towards whom I, unwittingly, would have failed in my duty despite my deep commitment to being at the service of all the Algerian people, without distinction.

I have put an end to my fourth term and I leave my post with a spirit of our collaboration, marked by selfless dedication, through which we have boosted our national structure and achieved some of our goals, such as dignity and greatness, thanks to all my compatriots who have helped me.

Algeria will have a new president soon, and I pray Allah to light his path to continue the fulfillment of the aspirations and expectations of our valuable citizens, relying on their sincere devotedness and strong determination to seriously and effectively contribute to the completion of the building of our country.

Despite the volatile circumstances, since February 22, I have always been confident, thank God, that the national development process will not stop and there will come those who will carry it on to achieve progress and prosperity, by giving, and it is my wish, a special attention to the young and to women allowing them to have access to political, parliamentary and administrative positions.

I have great confidence in their capacity to contribute to meeting the challenges facing our nation and to building its future.

Dear sisters, dear brothers,

Today I am an ordinary citizen, but I remain proud of my contribution to leading Algeria to the 21st century in a better situation and with a significant progress in all fields, for the benefit of the Algerian people who had honored me to be their president for 20 years.

And as all things come to an end, I said my farewell although it is not easy for me to express the sincerity of my feelings.

Words cannot express all my gratitude to most of you for the hands stretched out to me and the affection I have received.

I willfully accepted the country’s highest office to fulfill the missions Allah helped me to assume since I had joined, as a soldier, the glorious National Liberation Army, and until the first stage of the post-independence era.

I also accepted it out of loyalty to the oath made to our valiant martyrs.

I spent the past twenty years at your service, and God is witness of my sincerity and loyalty.

Day after day and year after year, sometimes adverse, sometime prosperous, I had taken actions, some of them satisfactory and others less.. But human action, by its nature, needs always improvement.

As nothing lasts forever in life, I leave the political scene saddles and fearless for the future of my country.

I remain confident that you will continue, with the country’s new leadership, the reform and action process to ensure to our country more prosperity and security, thanks to the courage, ambition and optimism of our youths, the beating heart of our nation.

Dear sisters, dear brothers,

You have been my best brothers and sisters, my best assistants and companions and I have spent, with you and among you, the richest years of my career at the service of our country.

To me, quitting does not mean breaking links of affection between us, and even less forgetting my memories with you.. You will always be deep in my heart.

I thank you all, for my most precious achievement, as president of the Republic, is the pride and honor you have bestowed on me, and which have been my leitmotiv in serving you when I was in good health as well as when I was ill.

To make mistake is human, but I beg your pardon for any failure towards you, by word or deeds.

I invite you to remain faithful to your duty of respect and reverence towards those who have achieved the miracle of our national liberation, be they martyrs or Mujahideen (liberation war veterans).

I urge you to remain united, never to divide, and to live up to the responsibility of preserving the message of our brave martyrs.

“Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration” (Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 23)

Glory and eternity to our Martyrs.