Türkiye, Algeria want to intensify discussions on regional issues: Foreign minister

ISTANBUL

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Monday that Türkiye and Algeria want to work more closely in addressing regional issues and formulate shared policies.

"As Türkiye and Algeria, we want to intensify our consultations on regional issues and develop joint policies,” Hakan Fidan said after being received by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune during his visit to Algeria.

The meetings also addressed Israel’s genocide in Gaza, Fidan said, adding the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and the establishment of a ceasefire are their priority.

“Türkiye will continue to stand firmly with the brotherly Palestinian people. I once again extend my thanks to our Algerian brothers for defending the Palestinian cause,” he said.

Fidan said they would have the opportunity to host President Tebboune in Türkiye later this year for the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Meeting, noting that under Tebboune’s leadership, Algeria has made significant economic progress.

"With its capacity and resources, Algeria has become one of the guarantors of stability in this region. We are pleased to observe Algeria’s performance as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC). We see that the priorities and issues of our region are being successfully brought to the UNSC agenda by Algeria,” he said.

Thanks to efforts by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Algerian counterpart Tebboune, relations between the two countries are getting stronger, said Fidan, adding that the most important bond between the two nations is mutual trust.

“We trust Algeria on every issue. Türkiye will also always be a reliable friend of Algeria,” he added.

During his meeting with Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf and his audience with President Tebboune, Fidan expressed his great satisfaction in seeing that the same strong will is also present on the Algerian side.

He noted that in the Joint Planning Group Meeting on Monday with Attaf, which was attended by representatives of various institutions, they discussed possible steps to be taken in many areas including trade, transportation, migration and health.

Trade volume

Fidan underscored the belief that the trade volume between the two countries can be increased to $10 billion in the shortest time possible, noting that more than 1,000 Turkish companies operating in Algeria are contributing to the economy and employment.

He said that with the agreements to be signed on issues such as the mutual promotion of trade and investment, there will be opportunities to further deepen economic relations.

"Algeria is also one of our key partners in terms of energy security. We want to further strengthen our cooperation in this area. Likewise, we will continue our cooperation in the field of defense industry," Fidan said.

Drawing attention to the potential for joint projects in these areas, he said that Sunday marked the official opening of Türkiye’s Consulate General in Oran.

Fidan said the Consulate General will provide the best possible service to both Turkish citizens and Algerians.

Turning to the war in Gaza, he said: "We will continue to be the voice of the Palestinians on international platforms."

Noting that other international issues were also discussed during the meetings in Algeria, Fidan said: "We encourage all parties to develop a sincere and functional dialogue for lasting peace and stability in Libya. We will continue to work together to resolve the root causes of issues such as terrorism and extremism in the Sahel region."

Ankara supports Algiers’ approach that regional issues should be resolved with calm and diplomacy, Fidan highlighted, expressing his belief that his visit will contribute to further advancing relations between Türkiye and Algeria.