Algeria and Italy succeeded, on the occasion of Monday’s visit to Algiers by the President of the Italian Council of Ministers, Mario Draghi, in taking a step forward towards the establishment of exceptional strategic relations, through the holding of the 4th Algerian-Italian Intergovernmental Summit sanctioned by the signing of 15 memorandums of understanding and cooperation agreements in several important areas.
At the end of their talks held at the headquarters of the Presidency of the Republic, the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune and the President of the Italian Council of Ministers, Mr. Mario Draghi co-chaired the work of the 4th Intergovernmental Summit which was sanctioned through the signing of the Joint Declaration and 15 memorandums of understanding and cooperation agreements in many fields.
These are memoranda of understanding in the fields of crafts, the pharmaceutical industry, entrepreneurship, investment development, prevention and fight against corruption, public works, start-ups. -up, industrial and energy cooperation, renewable energies, social development and solidarity.
A cooperation agreement in the field of protection of historical and cultural heritage, a cooperation protocol in the justice sector and a Declaration of intent in the fields of higher education, scientific research and diplomatic cooperation , were also signed.
In a statement to the press following the signing of these agreements, President Tebboune welcomed the positive results of the work of the 4th Summit, indicating that important agreements were signed in several areas, in addition to the Joint Declaration which “will establish a new stage in the increasingly effective bilateral cooperation and draw the contours of the relations between two countries, anxious to consolidate their deep historical ties”.
President Tebboune welcomed Mr. Draghi, who is visiting Algeria for the second time this year, which, he said, denotes “the will of our countries to consolidate the ties of friendship and intensify the areas of cooperation”, assuring that this visit “is intended to be a further step towards the establishment of strategic relations, and is part of the tradition of uninterrupted consultation between the two countries”.
President Tebboune clarified that his talks with the President of the Italian Council of Ministers had made it possible to address “bilateral issues and issues of common interest in the Maghreb region, to which we attach particular interest with our Italian friends”, expressing “a total convergence” of views on major issues.
For his part, Mr. Draghi affirmed that “Algeria is a very important partner for Italy in the fields of energy, industry and business, in addition to the fight against crime and establishment of security in the Mediterranean”.
The holding of the 4th Algerian-Italian Intergovernmental Summit denotes “the high level of bilateral relations”, he added, highlighting this “important achievement, namely the signing of numerous agreements and memorandums of understanding in the sectors of justice, social solidarity, industry, energy transition and the preservation of cultural heritage”.
Referring to the strengthening of energy cooperation between the two countries, the President of the Italian Council of Ministers said that “Algeria has become, in recent months, Italy’s leading energy supplier”, recalling that the oil group Sonatrach had increased the volume of its gas supplies to Italy by an additional four (4) billion m3.
After insisting on “the importance of the close ties of friendship between Algeria and Italy to meet the challenges in the region”, Mr. Draghi noted the commitment of the two countries to work to strengthen security and of peace in the world.
In addition, and within the framework of this visit, bilateral discussions between the members of the delegations of the two countries took place concerning several sectors, bringing together the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad, Ramtane Lamamra, of the Interior, Local Authorities and Territorial Development, Kamal Beldjoud, Justice, Keeper of the Seals, Abderrachid Tabi, Energy and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, and Public Works, Kamel Nasri, and the President of the National Body for the Prevention and Fight against Corruption (ONPLC), Tarek Kour, with their Italian counterparts.
As part of the continuation of this visit, the work of the Algerian-Italian Business Forum began on Monday, under the co-chairmanship of the Prime Minister, Mr. Aïmene Benabderrahmane, and the President of the Italian Council of Ministers, Mr. Mario Draghi.
This forum, which is held at the International Conference Center (CIC), under the slogan “Algeria-Italy: towards a new approach to economic partnership”, and which is marked by the participation of more than 500 businessmen from both countries , focuses on examining opportunities for cooperation and partnership between the two parties.
The work of this forum should continue on Tuesday through the organization of four thematic round tables relating to the areas of “Agro-food industry, fishing and aquaculture, and agricultural equipment”, “energy transition and renewable energies”, “equipment and the pharmaceutical industry” and finally “the physical infrastructures BTPH and TIC”.