Press Statement by Algerian President on the Occasion of the First Session of Algerian-Turkish Strategic Cooperation Council

The Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Thursday evening in Ankara made a press statement on the occasion of the first session of the Algerian-Turkish High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, which he co-chaired with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. here is the translation:

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
Prayers and peace upon the noblest of Messengers,

Thank you, Mr. President,

First of all, I would like to express the great pleasure I feel at being in Ankara today and to extend my thanks to my brother, His Excellency President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as to the Turkish authorities, for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to us.

I had the pleasure, with my brother President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to review during our talks several important stages related to the state of relations between our two countries. These relations are deeply rooted in history and based on a shared cultural heritage, and they are experiencing a growing dynamic that we welcome. We are also pleased with the progress achieved to reach this level, which we intend to further strengthen through our visit by diversifying economic cooperation and expanding partnership fields to include renewable energy, agriculture, industry and mining, as well as reinforcing bilateral cooperation in cultural and human fields and promoting our shared historical and civilizational heritage.

I would also like to express my satisfaction with the results of these rich and fruitful discussions, which were crowned by the signing of a significant number of agreements, and to commend the reactivation of the Business Forum and its central role in trade exchanges and investment dynamics between economic operators of both countries.

I also wish to highlight the launch of negotiations on a preferential trade agreement covering a defined list of goods, which will help raise trade and investment volumes to ten (10) billion US dollars by 2030.

During our talks, we naturally exchanged views on current regional and international issues of mutual interest. We discussed developments in the Gulf and Middle East region, as well as ways to resolve crises and establish security. We also expressed our condemnation of violations of international law and international humanitarian law by the Israeli occupation. We further condemned its blatant aggression against brotherly Lebanon and its brutal practices in the Gaza Strip.

We reaffirmed, in this regard, the responsibility of the international community to put an end to these violations and intensify efforts to consolidate peace in the region, including through a just and lasting solution guaranteeing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to establish an independent State.

We also denounced the decision of the Israeli occupation undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, in violation of the United Nations Charter, constituting a threat to security and stability in the Horn of Africa.

We further took this valuable opportunity to address the situation in Libya and the Sahel, as well as the question of Western Sahara. The discussions on these issues were frank and constructive, demonstrating the commitment of Algeria and Turkey to peaceful solutions in conflict resolution and respect for international legality.”