ALESCO – University of Tlemcen (Algeria)

Briefly defined by its presentation on the website, the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) is a Tunis-based specialized institution working under the umbrella of the League of Arab States.

It is essentially concerned with the development and coordination of the activities related to education, culture, and sciences in the Arab World. It was established by virtue of Article 3 of the Arab Cultural Unity Charter and was officially announced in Cairo on July 25, 1970.

As stated in Article One of its Constitution, ALECSO was established to promote Arab intellectual unity through education, culture, and sciences, and enhance the educational, cultural, and scientific level in the Arab World so that it can positively contribute to universal civilization.

Within this overall objective, the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tlemcen, Algeria, has received the agreement to establish a Chair in Taxation, Public Finance of the State and Local Authorities in 2021, currently headed by Honorary Chair, Professor Zine Barka. 

The Chair has two main missions:

1. To create a forum for reflection on the challenges and effects of fiscal policy on the economy of African countries, as well as on taxpayers and businesses.
2. To establish a network of researchers and practitioners to conduct comparative research on the effectiveness of public finances in the reduction of poverty and the improvement of public services.

ALECSO is aligned with the work of the Global South Perspectives Network (GSPN) by promoting development coordination between and within Think tanks in the Global South. It also emphasises the importance of inclusive dialogue and representation in global governance, advocating for the voices of marginalized communities to be heard and considered in decision-making processes.