The President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, received on Thursday at the El Mouradia Presidential Palace the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, who is currently on an official visit to Algeria. The high-level audience was attended by senior Algerian dignitaries, including Brahim Merad, Minister of State for the General Inspectorate of State Services and Local Government; Ahmed Attaf, Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad, and African Affairs; Ammar Abba, Diplomatic Advisor to the President; and Brigadier General Rochdi Fethi Moussaoui, Director General of Documentation and External Security (DGDSE). The prominent presence of security and foreign policy chiefs underscores the strategic depth and multi-faceted nature of the discussions between Algiers and Damascus.
Speaking to the press following the meeting, Minister al-Shibani described the talks as “exceptional,” noting that he conveyed the greetings, gratitude, and respect of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to President Tebboune. The Syrian foreign minister emphasised the deep-rooted, historic ties binding the two nations, adding that both sides agreed on the pressing need to revitalise bilateral cooperation mechanisms across pivotal sectors, notably energy, economics, security, and investment. Furthermore, al-Shibani expressed his appreciation for Algeria’s constructive diplomatic stance, highlighting that he observed in President Tebboune a profound interest in Syria’s contemporary political trajectory and an unwavering support for the political path and institutional transition currently pursued by the country to secure its future stability.
oreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani arrived in Algiers for high-level talks with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf. Marking the first visit by a senior Syrian official to Algeria since the transition in Damascus, the meetings signal a profound desire by the new Syrian administration to rebuild bilateral relations, moving past previous political constraints. A key dimension of this state visit was the conspicuous presence of General Hassan Salameh, the head of Syria’s General Intelligence Service. His participation underscores that a wholesale restructuring of security cooperation and intelligence sharing—particularly concerning counter-terrorism, border security, and the status of Syrian expatriates who arrived after 2012—remains the fundamental bridge toward broader strategic trust between the two capitals.
Beyond security re-engineering, the diplomatic push aims to unlock moribund economic and institutional channels between the Mediterranean partners. Minister al-Shibani and his Algerian counterparts agreed to reactivate long-dormant bilateral frameworks, including the Joint Higher Committee and the Algerian-Syrian Business Council, while establishing sectoral working groups focused on energy, mining, agriculture, and transport. This commercial revival follows tangible economic steps, including Algeria’s recent import of Syrian livestock and the participation of thirty Algerian industrial firms in the Damascus International Exhibition. Furthermore, the two governments are exploring the resumption of direct Algiers-Damascus commercial flights and mutual visa exemptions to stimulate trade and tourism. Al-Shibani’s arrival in Algiers comes less than a month after a similar groundbreaking tour to Morocco, indicating a concerted, balanced diplomatic offensive by the new Syrian state to normalise and recalibrate its strategic standing across the North African axis.
