Algerian Upper House, Tunisia’s NCRD Sign Parliamentary Cooperation Agreement

The Council of the Nation (Algerian upper house of Parliament) and the National Council of Regions and Districts (NCRD) of the Tunisian Republic signed, on Tuesday, in Algiers, a parliamentary cooperation agreement and announced the creation of a parliamentary cooperation forum.

The agreement was signed by the Speaker of the Council of the Nation, Azouz Nasri, and NCRD’s President, Imed Derbali, following their talks, which were later expanded to include the members of both countries’ delegations.

At the start of the meeting, a minute of silence was observed, and Al-Fatiha of the Holy Quran was recited in memory of the former President of the Republic, the Mujahid Liamine Zeroual, who passed away on Saturday after a long illness.

This agreement, which is part of the commitment of both institutions to strengthen cooperation and coordination in legislative, diplomatic and administrative fields, includes several mechanisms aimed at “consolidating their institutional partnership, reflecting the depth of the historical relations between Algeria and Tunisia.” Nasri said that this agreement would allow for “the establishment of a close partnership based on the principles of equality, trust, mutual interest, sharing, consultation and coordination.” The Speaker of the Council of the Nation also commended the existing mechanisms of cooperation between the two countries, such as the Reflection and Foresight Commission, the Joint High Commission for Cooperation, as well as the effective economic partnership governed by more than 200 agreements.

Among these mechanisms are also the parliamentary friendship and brotherhood groups, which constitute “a framework for dialogue and coordination between the two legislative institutions,” added Nasri.

In this respect, Nasri praised the level of mutual support between the Algerian Parliament and its Tunisian counterpart, as well as “the exceptional harmony” guiding the efforts of parliamentarians from both countries in serving the interests of their peoples and in favour of peace, security, and respect for international law.

For his part, Derbali described this protocol as “a strategic step toward strengthening parliamentary, economic and political cooperation between the two brotherly countries, embodying the shared willingness to expand partnerships between the two institutions.” He emphasized that the next step requires both parties to “work on expanding and activating these partnerships, while strengthening parliamentary diplomacy as a key lever of cooperation, in its political and economic dimensions, for the benefit of the two peoples, development and stability.” On the same occasion, the Council of the Nation and the Tunisian NCRD announced the creation of a parliamentary cooperation forum, intended to be “a concrete step toward engaging in a structured cooperation process, through the establishment of a close partnership, dialogue and mutual support between the two institutions.” This forum, which brings together members of the Council of the Nation and the Tunisian upper parliamentary chamber, will constitute “a fraternal platform for dialogue, support and consultation.”