Algeria to Steer Revolving Presidency of “5+5 Defense” Initiative in December 2016

Algeria will take over the revolving presidency of the “5+5 Defense” initiative during 2016, in consistence with the Statement of Intent signed in Paris, in December 2004, by the Defense Ministers of the Ten member countries, as well as their joint declaration inked in Tunis in December 2015, said Monday a communiqué from the National Defense Ministry (MDN).

“Algeria, member of 5+5 Defense initiative, will chair in the course of 2016, the forum of multilateral cooperation on security questions in Mediterranean western shore,” the same source added.

“As part of this year’s action plan, Algeria will host in December 2016, the 12th meeting of Defense Ministers, the 8th meeting of Chiefs of Staff of the Armies in October 2016 and the 22nd and 23rd meetings of the Initiative Steering Committee in March and November 2016,” announced the communiqué.

The Algerian Presidency of the “5 + 5 Defense” Initiative will kick off with the holding in Algiers of the 22nd meeting of the Steering Committee on 15 and 16 March 2016, with the aim of “pinpointing priority activities meant to be implemented under the 2016 Action Plan, establishing the cooperation program for the year 2017 and discussing the projects already launched as part of the initiative,” said the source.

This planned meeting will comprise “a presentation of a drilling of maritime surveillance SEA-BORDER-16, a virtual drilling on the use of air means during natural disasters.”

The overall survey of the research hub of the Euro-Maghreb Centre of Research and Strategic Studies will also be expounded on the occasion.

As a recall, the “5+5 Defense” Initiative brings together five countries of the Mediterranean southern shore (Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia) and five countries of the Mediterranean northern shore (France, Spain, Italy, Malta and Portugal).