ALGIERS – Algerian Minister of State, Minister of Energy, Mines, and Renewable Energies, Mohamed Arkab, received on Monday the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs, and Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of Belgium, Maxime Prevot, the Algerian ministry said in a statement.
The meeting was attended by the Ambassador of Belgium to Algeria, the Secretary of State to the Minister of Energy, responsible for Mines, Karima Tafer, the Secretary of State to the Minister of Energy, responsible for Renewable Energy, Noureddine Yassaa, the CEO of Sonatrach, Rachid Hachichi, as well as senior officials from both sides.
This meeting was dedicated to reviewing the current state and prospects of cooperation between Algeria and Belgium in the fields of energy, mining, and renewable energies, the statement said, adding that both parties expressed their satisfaction with the excellent level of bilateral relations, reaffirming their shared commitment to intensifying cooperation and exploring new partnership opportunities, particularly in strategic priority sectors.
On this occasion, both sides discussed opportunities to develop cooperation projects in the fields of hydrocarbons, the petrochemical industry, and energy and mining transformation industries, in addition to new and renewable energies such as photovoltaic solar energy, wind energy, and hydrogen development. The discussions also focused on the integration of modern technologies and training, as well as storage solutions and smart grids, the source said.
According to the statement, Minister Arkab took this opportunity to deliver a comprehensive presentation on the sector’s strategic vision and ongoing development projects, with a special focus on hydrocarbon exploration and production, expanding electricity generation and transmission capacities, seawater desalination, and advancing renewable energies, particularly green hydrogen. He also emphasized the incentives and benefits provided by the new legislative framework for investors, urging Belgian companies to take advantage of these promising opportunities.
In the mining sector, both parties explored opportunities for collaboration in mineral resource exploration, extraction, and processing, along with geological studies. They placed special emphasis on strategic and critical materials essential to advanced industries, notably metals used in steel production, batteries, and green technologies. Additionally, they underscored the importance of training and technology transfer to strengthen local value chains and leverage Belgian expertise in these fields.
Arkab emphasized that the visit of Maxime Prevot reflects the strong political will of both sides to strengthen Algerian-Belgian relations and elevate them to a comprehensive partnership based on mutual interests and industrial and technological integration—especially in light of the challenges facing global energy markets and the urgent need to accelerate the energy transition.
For his part, the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed his satisfaction with the quality of relations between the two countries and reaffirmed Belgium’s commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, especially in the economic and energy sectors. He also emphasized the importance of expanding areas of collaboration to include other priority sectors. Additionally, he highlighted the strong interest Belgian companies have in investing and partnering with Algerian institutions, particularly in the fields of energy, mining, and renewable energies, the statement concluded.
