Slovakia's Foreign Minister confirms that his country is embarking on a new era of joint cooperation with Algeria
Algiers, Sept 9 (KUNA) -- Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Juraj Blanar affirmed today, Wednesday, that his country is embarking on a new era of cooperation with Algeria, based on the principles of respect, stability, and joint action. In a statement following his meeting with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Blanar noted that Slovakia had earlier today opened its embassy in Algeria after a preparatory and operational period lasting two years. He referred to the talks he held with his Algerian counterpart Ahmed Attaf, describing them as “productive,” and confirmed that a number of files were reviewed, with the signing of important documents, foremost among them an economic cooperation agreement that serves as a cornerstone for establishing a joint governmental committee for economic cooperation, as well as a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of academic diplomacy. He clarified that the two countries agreed to cooperate at the level of the UN Security Council and the United Nations, recalling that Slovakia had supported Algeria’s efforts to become a non-permanent member of the Security Council, and expressing his country’s hope to benefit from Algeria’s support and expertise regarding Slovakia’s non-permanent membership on the Security Council in 2029. In a related context, the Slovak minister affirmed that Algeria is a key partner for his country in the gas sector, and is also the European Union’s third-largest supplier of this commodity, emphasizing the importance of finalizing the contract for the purchase of gas from Algeria. He also announced on this occasion that both parties had agreed to hold the first joint economic committee meeting between the two countries in Slovakia at the beginning of next year, with the aim of identifying areas of future cooperation. He added that the talks also covered potential cooperation in the fields of higher education, technology, and defense industries. (End) M.R. / R.J.
