Algerian-Italian Relations Exhibit Remarkable Dynamism (Algerian Minister of Interior)

The Algerian Minister of Interior, Local Authorities, and Urban Planning, Brahim Merad, stated that Algerian-Italian relations are currently experiencing a “remarkable dynamism,” which reflects the political will of both President Abdelmadjid Tebboune of Algeria and his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella. This was conveyed in a statement from the ministry on Wednesday.

Following his meeting with Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi during his visit to Italy, Merad noted that “in recent years, Algerian-Italian relations have demonstrated significant and sustained dynamism in joint cooperation across various sectors, truly embodying the political intentions of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and President Sergio Mattarella.”

In this context, the minister emphasized the “cooperative relations between the interior sectors of both countries, characterized by a positive momentum.” He recalled the achievement of numerous cooperative initiatives aimed at operationalizing joint actions to better serve the interests of both nations and their people.

“We are pleased with the consistent progress of police cooperation between our two countries, particularly in terms of training and expertise exchange,” he stated, highlighting the “signing of a cooperation protocol on police training by the directors general of police from both nations, involving the Ali-Tounsi Police Academy and the Italian Police Training School.”

“As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance joint action, the Civil Protection services of both countries are working to intensify discussions on bilateral cooperation in light of the challenges we face regarding natural risks,” the minister added.

On this occasion, Merad emphasized that “the Mediterranean, which is a shared space for Algeria and Italy, embodies the values of friendship and good neighborliness and further represents the long-standing cultural and civilizational blend of our two peoples,” as stated in the release.

He further asserted that this region “offers new promising opportunities for economic partnership and fruitful technological exchanges. These foundational values could inspire decentralized cooperation initiatives between Algerian and Italian cities.”

“Decentralized cooperation among our local communities reflects the genuine desire of our territorial actors to enhance the exchange of expertise and share successful experiences in addressing common issues faced by these regions on both sides of the Mediterranean across various fields,” he explained.

Discussing the changes underway in Algeria, the minister declared that “within the framework of the profound transformations led by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune regarding local governance in our country, we encourage various initiatives for decentralized cooperation between our local communities, committing to support their efforts and modernize their domains to align with socio-economic, cultural, and ecological challenges.” In this regard, he cited “the project for decentralized cooperation between the Wilaya of Annaba and the city of Naples, which we aim to realize in the first half of this year.”

According to the same source, the Minister of the Interior addressed the issue of illegal migration, asserting that “alongside these noble efforts, we are collectively confronting escalating security challenges that threaten our safety, including the phenomenon of illegal migration and the transcontinental crimes that accompany it.”

“Recognizing the importance of this challenge, we initiated a new dynamic of cooperation with the Italian Republic and our regional partners—our brother nations, Tunisia and Libya—several months ago. This quadripartite coordination aims to combat illegal migration through a comprehensive approach based on shared responsibilities and commitments among the countries of origin, transit, and destination, ensuring effective management of all human and security aspects related to this issue,” the minister stated.

“Building on our commitment to this effort, we have fully engaged in this approach,” he continued, noting that “experts from our ministry participated in May 2024 in Rome in the meetings of the established working group, during which participants examined mechanisms for voluntary return, reintegration, and humanitarian voluntary return.”

“The situation has compelled Algeria to intensify its cooperation with neighboring countries, Tunisia and Libya, within a tripartite framework due to the alarming increase in flows of illegal migrants in these nations, particularly given the prevailing conditions in the Sahel region of Africa, which is facing developmental challenges,” added the same source.

For his part, the Italian Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, praised “the level of bilateral cooperation with Algeria and the positive results achieved through exceptional security coordination,” emphasizing “the continuation of effective implementation of various axes of joint action and the expansion of its prospects,” the statement concluded.