Algeria moves weekend to Friday and Saturday

Algeria has moved its weekend from Thursday and Friday to Friday and Saturday.

This means that many banks and shops may open on Friday mornings and Saturdays in an attempt to counter a loss of trade. Most already closed on Fridays and Saturdays because people did their banking and shopping on a Thursday.

The change has come as a result of complaints from the country’s business community. They found it difficult to do business with other Arabic countries whose weekend fell on a Friday and Saturday.

The Thursday-Friday weekend was established in Algeria in 1976. Many commentators say it was a deliberate attempt to assert the country’s independence following the end of colonialism