At invitation of his counterpart Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa: President Tebboune begins state visit to Portugal
BY: Hana Saada
ALGIERS- The Presidency of the Republic has announced that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune will embark on a two-day official visit to Portugal, starting this Monday. President Tebboune will be accompanied by a large delegation and will meet with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, as well as the Prime Minister, Côte António, and the Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas. President Tebboune will also participate in the Portugal/Algeria Economic Forum, an event organized by the Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade Office of Portugal (AICEP).
The visit comes as a result of an invitation extended by Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, which was presented to President Tebboune by Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joao Gomes Cravinho, during his visit to Algeria last October. The Portuguese diplomat expressed his country’s desire to strengthen the ties of friendship and enhance the solid relations between the two countries, stating that “we live in a situation marked by the instability of international relations.”
In today’s world of economic and geopolitical uncertainty, it is crucial to have stable and trustworthy allies. This is why President Tebboune’s recent visit to Lisbon is of great significance. The visit comes on the heels of the sixth session of the Joint Working Group on Economic Cooperation, which was held in Algiers. During this session, the Portuguese Minister of Economy and the Sea, Antonio Costa Silva, expressed his country’s desire to increase its investments in Algeria by five times over the next five years.
Costa Silva emphasized that Algeria is a fundamental and credible partner, and Portugal intends to diversify its investments in various sectors such as Public Works, Finance, Industry, Pharmaceutical Production, Hydraulics, Agriculture, Energy, and Transport. In response, the Minister of Trade and Promotion of Export Promotion, Tayeb Zitouni, stressed that Algeria is keen to direct certain Portuguese investments towards the food and manufacturing industries.
It is worth noting that Algeria is Portugal’s main energy supplier, covering 40% of its annual needs. This highlights the strategic partnership between the two countries and the need to strengthen coordination and consolidate economic relations, particularly in the field of basic infrastructure. The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Lakhdar Rakhroukh, emphasized the importance of this partnership and the need to work together to achieve mutual benefits.
This visit is an opportunity for both countries to further develop their historic relations and explore new avenues for cooperation. It is a testament to the strong bonds of friendship and mutual respect that exist between Algeria and Portugal.
