Algeria’s president pledges to enhance ties with Zim

Sunday Mail Reporter

ALGERIAN President Abdelmadjid Tebboune says his country is committed to enhance cooperation with Zimbabwe.

He said this after meeting Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda in Algiers recently.

Adv Mudenda was in Algeria a fortnight ago at the invitation of the Speaker of the Algerian National Assembly, Mr Brahim Boughali.

In his remarks during the meeting, President Tebboune said: “We shall continue to support the existing sound political relations that existed before and after Independence, between our two countries. I will be consulting my brother, His Excellency, Dr E.D. Mnangagwa, in order to accelerate economic ties between the two sister Republics.”

Algeria, President Tebboune said, had invested heavily in the education sector because it believes that learning is the bedrock of human development, adding that the country is willing to share its successes with Zimbabwe. “In this regard, Algeria will continue to offer more education scholarships to Zimbabwean students,” he said.

Adv Mudenda told the Algerian president that Zimbabwe was grateful to Algeria, which is one of the countries that made donations for victims of Cyclone Idai in 2019.

“We want to express our gratitude for supporting Zimbabwe financially during the Covid-19 and Cyclone Idai disasters. I also want to extend fraternal greetings from your brother, His Excellency, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe,” he said. During the visit, he met several Algerian Cabinet ministers.

He also toured Tipaza town, which is renowned for its outstanding contribution to food security in Algeria through cutting-edge agricultural initiatives.

Talks were also held to push for the Joint Permanent Commission that exists between the two countries to be revived, after meetings were last held in 2009.

Adv Mudenda implored the Algerian government to work closely with Zimbabwe’s chief envoy to Algeria, Ambassador Vusumuzi Ntonga, to boost trade relations between the two countries.

Algeria offered an opportunity to Zimbabwe to exhibit at the annual Algiers Fair scheduled for June.

Algerian businesses were also invited to showcase at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in 2024.