Luanda - Algeria's ambassador to Angola, Abdelhakim Mihoubi, expressed today, in Luanda, his country's willingness to keep strengthening the “historic” relations between the two countries, in several domains.
“These are very close relationships, of fraternity and solidarity”, highlighted the Algerian diplomat who was speaking at the end of a visit to the headquarters of the Angola Press Agency (ANGOP), in Luanda.
Mihoubi said that there are many events in the past that demonstrate this solidarity, citing among some examples the visit to Algeria of many Angolan political leaders during the national liberation struggle, including the first President and founder of the Angola Nation, Dr António Agostinho Neto.
At present, he continued, the two countries share “almost the same convictions at an international level” and have given their best in efforts to resolve conflicts in Africa, especially in Southern, Central and Western Africa.
He emphasized the commitment of the Angolan President, João Lourenço, to resolving several conflicts in the Great Lakes region, with emphasis on the one in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In this regard, he also pointed to the recent Algerian presidential initiative for a peaceful solution in Niger, since the escalation of tension caused by the coup d'état on July 26th against President Mohamed Bazoum.
According to the Algerian diplomat, there are similarities between the two countries that, in the past, were behind strong revolutions in Africa and are now participating in efforts to restore stability on the continent without which there can be no economic development.
On the other hand, he revealed that the two countries are engaged in actions aimed at strengthening their economic interaction, currently considered “not 100% satisfactory”, to bring it closer to the excellent levels achieved in the field of political cooperation.
He explained that the two countries have cooperated in the field of oil since Angola's Independence in 1975, with many Angolan staff in the sector trained so far in Algeria, and close collaboration between the oil companies Sonangol (Angola) and Sonatrach.
At the moment, he added, it is planned to send more Angolan engineers in the oil sector to be trained in Algeria, given the increase in human resources needs in the sector with the prospect of opening new refineries in Angola.
Outside the oil sector, negotiations are underway for the return to Luanda of the Algerian air carrier, Air Algerie, with the establishment of direct connections between the two capitals, to contribute to increasing economic, commercial and tourist exchanges between the two peoples, he said.
LIGHT/IZ/CF/jmc
