Algiers, ALGERIA / ISTANBUL

Algeria and Egypt on Wednesday signed 18 agreements, memorandums, and cooperation programs across multiple sectors at the end of the ninth session of the Algerian-Egyptian High Joint Committee held in Cairo.

In a statement, the Algerian government said the signing ceremony took place in the presence of Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb and his Egyptian counterpart, Mostafa Madbouly.

The agreements covered interior affairs, finance, energy, industry, trade, and housing, as well as higher education, scientific research, vocational training, youth, sports, culture, and social solidarity.

The two sides also signed memorandums on accreditation, agricultural research, archiving, consumer protection, and local development, in addition to an agreement on energy transition and renewable energy, the statement said.

The ceremony included executive programs covering youth, sports, culture, vocational training, and social affairs, along with a cooperation protocol on public administration.

Earlier Wednesday, Ghrieb and Madbouly held bilateral talks that later expanded to include both delegations ahead of the committee’s opening session.

During the meeting, Ghrieb called for stronger Algerian-Egyptian coordination to protect the two countries’ interests in the global gas market, saying recent developments have made energy one of the central strategic issues in international relations.

Official Algerian data show that bilateral trade with Egypt exceeded $1 billion in 2024, up from $872 million in 2023, an 18% increase. Both countries aim to raise trade volume to $5 billion in the coming period.

On investment, the Algerian Agency for Investment Promotion said it has registered 21 projects by Egyptian investors since 2023, including 12 joint ventures with Algerian partners.

The agency’s head, Omar Rekkache, praised the “successful experiences” of Egyptian companies operating in Algeria during a meeting of the joint Egyptian-Algerian Technical Committee for investment.

Egyptian investments in Algeria currently exceed $3 billion, according to official figures.

The joint committee has convened eight previous rounds, most recently in mid-2022 in Algiers, where both sides signed a series of agreements and memorandums in multiple sectors.