Algerian President: Arab Economic Integration Must Not Remain a Deferred Dream for Future Generations
Algerian Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad, and African Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, delivered on Saturday the message from President Abdelmadjid Tebboune during the Fifth Arab Economic and Social Development Summit.
In his message, President Tebboune emphasized that economic development and sustainable growth are fundamental objectives, closely connected to the core requirements of Arab national security.
In this regard, the Algerian president highlighted three key considerations. First, discussions on sustainable development in the Arab region must be grounded in the principle of solidarity with the nations suffering within the Arab world, beginning with occupied Palestine and extending to other Arab countries afflicted by crises, conflicts, and wars.
“The security and prosperity of our Arab region can only be realized through the recovery of these nations, the end of the injustices and oppression they endure, and their return to a path of stability, growth, and prosperity,” the president said.
Second, achieving Arab economic integration should not remain a distant dream passed down from one generation to the next.
“While intra-Arab trade has grown in recent years, it still represents only 8% of the total trade between Arab countries and the rest of the world. Similarly, intra-Arab investments remain low, highlighting a significant disparity between Arab nations,” he added.
Third, achieving the desired economic integration at the Arab level depends on the collective efforts to establish its essential foundations. This includes fully activating the Arab Free Trade Area, developing inter-country transport networks, and creating necessary banking, financial, and insurance mechanisms. “These crucial tools are indispensable for boosting intra-Arab investment and strengthening trade exchanges.”
Additionally, President Tebboune expressed Algeria’s commitment to being an active participant in various economic initiatives aimed at fostering closer ties, interaction, and cooperation among Arab nations.
“My country joined the Arab Free Trade Area in 2009 and has contributed to the establishment of various Arab financing and investment institutions. It has also supported projects for land, sea, and air connectivity, as well as energy-related ventures,” he said.
The Algerian president stressed the need to collectively keep pace with the ongoing prominent revolutions, particularly in the fields of renewable energy, digitalization, artificial intelligence, robotics, and nanotechnology.
“Arab joint action must allocate significant attention to these vital future fields, which require the concerted efforts, mobilization of our capabilities, and integration of our resources, so that we do not become one of the marginalized nations left behind on the sidelines of these fundamental transformations that will shape the future of human civilization for the coming decades,” President Tebboune said.
“Algeria, with the blessings and resources that God has granted it, will remain a strong supporter of all efforts that prioritize enhancing economic cooperation between our countries. This will enable us to receive our fair share of development, attain the positions we deserve within the global economic system, and contribute, to the best of our ability, to achieving the aspirations of our peoples and building a future filled with security, development, and prosperity alongside the rest of the world’s nations,” the message concluded.
