Algeria and USA agree to shore up their economic relations

US Deputy Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said Monday in Algiers that his country is intent on “deepening” the economic relations with Algeria, stressing that the economic diversification program underway in Algeria is a “correct way to proceed”.

“We have a very important bilateral partnership in security issues, but we also want to deepen our relations in the economic, financial and trade sectors,” Mr Blinken told the press after meeting with Finance Minister Hadji Baba Ammi.

To this effect, the US diplomat said the meeting he had with Baba Ammi on the economic and financial issues was “very interesting” for the boosting of cooperation between Algeria and the United States, adding that “the areas where we can work together were also evoked”.

For his part, the Minister of Finance indicated that under the country’s new program for increased economic growth, “there will be major opportunities for cooperation between Algeria and the United States”.

Mr Baba Ammi also stated that that his encounter with Mr Blinken constituted a “very interesting” opportunity for examining the possibilities of further bolstering cooperation in the economic and financial fields between the two countries.

The trade volume between Algeria and the United States amounted to $ 4.6 billion in 2015, comprised of $ 1.9 billion of Algerian exports and $ 2.7 billion of US exports.

The United States of America “greatly appreciates” Algeria’s leadership in the region, said earlier in Algiers, Mr Antony Blinken, under the “deeper” partnership between the two countries.

“Several topical issues were raised during my visit to Algeria, including Algeria’s leadership in the entire region either for peace questions in Libya, Mali and Syria. It is a leadership that we very much appreciate,” Mr Blinken said in a statement to the press following his meeting with Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ramtane Lamamra.

Expressing his “extreme satisfaction” at the outcome of his visit paid to Algeria since Wednesday, Blinken also noted the existence of a “deeper partnership that is emergeing between Algeria and the United States.”

He further underlined that the two countries are working closely “together” on “very important security issues” and are also striving to “deepen their economic and cultural relations, in addition to the relations between citizens of the two countries.”

Mr Blinken added he and Lamamra tackled during their discussions most of the international issues for which the two countries “are working closely together”.