Territorial Diagnosis and Sectoral Valorisation for Sustainable Development in Tamanrasset, Algerian Sahara

Abstract

Sustainable development policies require territorially differentiated approaches, particularly in arid and peripheral regions where socio-economic dynamics and access to services are highly uneven. In Algeria, the sharp contrast between the urbanised northern regions and the sparsely populated Sahara raises critical questions regarding the territorial anchoring of development strategies. This article develops an integrated territorial diagnosis of the wilaya of Tamanrasset, located in the Algerian Sahara, by combining municipal-level socio-economic, environmental, and infrastructure indicators with a SWOT-based analytical framework and stakeholder-informed assessment. The findings reveal strong spatial polarisation centred on the city of Tamanrasset, accompanied by pronounced intra-regional disparities in access to services, employment opportunities, and connectivity infrastructure. At the same time, the diagnosis identifies strategic pathways for sectoral valorisation through sustainable tourism, traditional handicrafts, and renewable energy, provided that development interventions recognise functional complementarities and spatial continuity across Saharan systems. A comparative reading with other Saharan wilayas (Adrar, Illizi, and Ouargla) further supports the argument that territorial diagnosis constitutes a decisive tool for place-based policy design and for overcoming the limitations of fragmented governance in low-density arid regions. The paper concludes by positioning Tamanrasset as a Saharan laboratory for sustainable development and by highlighting transferable lessons for peripheral territories across the Global South.