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Algeria: President Tebboune arrives in Turkiye to discuss bilateral ties 

May 16, 2022 at 1:13 pm

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune (L) is welcomed by Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay (R) in Ankara, Turkiye on 15 May 2022 [Berke Bayur/Anadolu Agency]

Algerian President Abdemadjid Tebboune arrived in Turkiye yesterday for a three-day state visit to discuss bilateral ties with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Tebboune was welcomed at Ankara International Airport by the Deputy President, Fuat Oktay, and other senior officials.

The visit, reportedly at the invitation of Erodgan, will see the two preside over the first session of the High-Level Cooperation Council to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations in addition to international developments.

“Relations between the two countries, which are proven by the common intention to further consolidate the traditional ties of friendship and solidarity, and the ways to strengthen the dialogue on all international issues of common interest, are manifested in the regular meetings between the two countries,” announced the Algerian Embassy on Friday. It also added that bilateral trade had increased significantly in recent years.

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Tebboune’s visit follows an agreement in March between the Algerian and Turkish parliaments to establish a parliamentary friendship committee. That same month talks were held between Algeria’s Minister of Energy Mohamed Arkab and the President of the Turkish Kalyon Enerji company to discuss strengthening cooperation in the field of energy and investment opportunities. According to Algerian Customs statistics from 2020, Turkiye was Algeria’s fourth largest customer with imports worth a total of $2.1 billion, mainly in liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The Algerian president’s visit comes days after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu reiterated Ankara’s support for Morocco’s territorial integrity during a joint press conference in Marrakech on Wednesday with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita.

“I would like to reiterate Turkiye’s principled position in favour of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries, and reaffirm Turkiye’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of brotherly Morocco,” Cavusoglu said.

The disputed territory of Western Sahara has remained a contentious issue between Algeria and Morocco and tensions have been on the rise between the two countries, leading to the severing of diplomatic relations last summer.

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