E/C.12/DZA/CO/4 United Nations Economic and Social Council Distr.: General 7 June 2010 Original: English Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Forty-fourth session Geneva, 3–21 May 2010 Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant Concluding observations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Algeria 1. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights considered the combined third and fourth periodic reports of Algeria on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (E/C.12/DZA/4) at its 6th, 7th and 8th meetings, held on 5 and 6 May 2010 (E/C.12/2010/SR.6, 7 and 8), and adopted, at its 20th meeting held on 17 May 2010, the following concluding observations. A. Introduction 2. The Committee welcomes the submission of the combined third and fourth periodic reports of Algeria and the written replies to its list of issues. The Committee appreciates the frank and constructive dialogue with the delegation of the State party that included representatives from various ministries with expertise on the subjects covered by the Covenant. It also takes note that the combined third and fourth periodic reports of Algeria were submitted five years late. B. Positive aspects 3. The Committee welcomes the progress achieved in the following matters: (i) The ratification, on 8 March 2004, of the Convention on the Political Rights of Women; (ii) The reduction of the poverty ratio by half since 2000 (from 12.1 per cent in 2000 to 5.7 per cent in 2005), maintenance of extreme poverty at a marginal level, including through direct and indirect financial assistance, such as price support measures and subsidies to the health sector and social welfare institutions; GE.10-42869