Algeria, Turkiye Discuss Bolstering Ties in Various Fields

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune held talks in Istanbul on Saturday and discussed bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest. Erdogan welcomed Tebboune at the presidential office at Dolmabahce Palace. They held one-on-one talks followed by talks involving delegations from both countries to discuss bolstering ties in various fields.

The meetings were attended by ministers of foreign affairs, defense, trade, finance, energy, industry, technology, health, environment, and education. Tebboune arrived in Turkiye for a two-day working visit on Friday. This is his second visit since becoming president in 2019. Turkish sources revealed that the talks focused on the developments in Libya, Palestine, and Mali, in addition to enhancing bilateral ties namely in the economy.

The two countries seek to increase trade from US$3.16 billion to US$5 billion. Economic cooperation between them witnessed a leap during the term of Erdogan. Official data showed that more than 1,300 Turkish firms are active in Algeria, contributing to providing around 30,000 jobs. Investments of Turkish companies reached an estimated US$6 billion. Turkiye aims to make its companies win the greatest share of Algeria’s plans to reinforce its infrastructure with a US$150 billion budget.

Algeria is the third biggest natural gas exporter to Turkiye after Russia and Iran. Algeria's Sonatrach oil company renewed contracts to supply liquefied gas to Turkiye in 2018, in quantities amounting to 5 Bcm/y. The company also constructs a petrochemical plant in partnership with the Turkish company Ronesans Holding in Adana, southern Turkiye, to produce the plastic polypropylene, which is used in several industries.

The two countries seek to boost military cooperation in a way that reinforces the defense capacities of Algeria, especially with the remarkable development in Turkish military industries, namely in drones. Turkiye and Algeria signed the Friendship and Cooperation Agreement on May 23 in 2006. The agreement stipulates the development of dialogue in political, economic, and cultural fields, and the commitment to reinforcing economic cooperation.