Blinken’s Most Important Statements in Algeria
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke about Algeria and the opportunities for the U.S.-Algerian partnership and investment during his recent visit.
It’s great to be back in Algeria for the second time,” Blinken said, in a video posted by the United States Embassy in Algeria on its official page on Twitter.
“Thank you, President Tebboune Abdelmadjid, for welcoming me back to Algiers. I appreciated the opportunity to discuss broadening the strong U.S.-Algeria relationship and ways to expand our growing security, economic, and educational ties”, Blinken posted a tweet on March 30.
“Strengthening U.S.-Algerian economic cooperation is a major priority”, Blinken announced the US will be the Country of Honor during the Algiers International Fair in June, providing businesses from both countries an opportunity to create mutually beneficial ventures.
“U.S. ties with Algeria go back a long time. We’ve strengthened our economic, educational, and cultural ties and are working closely together today on issues that advance security and prosperity. I thank our Algerian colleagues for hosting me this week”, he added.
“Great to meet U.S. business representatives to discuss ways to deepen economic ties & U.S.-Algeria trade & investment. Honoured to launch our pavilion & inaugurate the USA as the Country of Honor at the Algiers International Trade Fair the largest trade show of its kind in Africa”.
The United States is aiming for $6.1 billion worth of trade with Algeria, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced, through a “greater presence for American businesses” in the North African country. America’s economic relations with Algeria are “dynamic”, Blinken told reporters at the US Embassy in Algiers.
“In 2020, the two-way trade between the US and Algeria totalled $1.2 billion. In 2021, even with Covid, it more than doubled to $2.6 billion. And in just a month of January this year alone, it amounted to $331 million.”
“The Algerian government will determine the most appropriate investment climate that will attract American companies,” Blinken added, “Algeria will be a suitable place for the next trade fair, which we all look forward to”.
For her part, the U.S Ambassador to Algeria Elizabeth Moore-Aubin said; “Over the last 18 months, before my arrival, they didn’t have an ambassador, but Gautam Rana as chargé led, drove the bilateral objectives forward. There was no kind of holding down the fort; they moved forward. And I’ve walked into the very best embassy that I’ve ever seen in 32 years in the Foreign Service. So thank you for being with us today”.
The USA is the first investor in Algeria with 28% of the total foreign investment and wants to continue to help companies.
The Most Important Things Blinken said during his visit to Algeria
On March 30, 2022, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a press conference during his visit to Algeria at his country’s embassy in Algiers, and these are the most important things he said:
– Algeria was among the first countries to recognize the United States; “Here in Algeria, the ties between our countries go back a long time – 1795, at a time when most of the world still didn’t recognize our then-young country. We have a relationship that runs back a long way in our history and one that’s meaningful precisely because Algeria was among the first countries to recognize the United States. This goes back to our founding president, George Washington. And in ways over the years”.
– The USA is grateful for Algeria’s significant and continuing diplomatic efforts to promote peace and security in the region, “As I said today to President Tebboune and Foreign Minister Lamamra, Algeria’s efforts are critical to improving regional security and stability. That includes its counterterrorism expertise, the humanitarian and security assistance that it provides to neighbours in the Sahel, its demonstrated leadership in finding regional and African-led solutions to challenges”.
– President Tebboune’s economic plan creates a more favourable investment climate for American companies through clear rules and regulations, “Thank you, President Tebboune Abdelmadjid, for welcoming me back to Algiers. I appreciated the opportunity to discuss broadening the strong U.S.-Algeria relationship and ways to expand our growing security, economic, and educational ties”.
– The Algiers International Fair, in which the United States will be the guest of honour this summer, will be a good opportunity to continue bringing American and Algerian companies together.
– The recent signing of a three-year agreement between Columbia University in the United States, and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Algeria to help renew the curricula of teaching English in Algerian universities.
– There is no change in the United States’ position regarding Western Sahara, “On the matter of Western Sahara, the United States supports the work of the UN personal envoy of the Secretary-General Staffan de Mistura in leading the political process under the auspices of the United Nations to promote a peaceful and prosper future for the people living there”.
– The USA helps the Palestinian people improve their lives, “We’ve committed half a billion dollars in assistance to the Palestinians over the last year”.
– The U.S. re-engagement with UNRWA to advance the prospects for a return to a two-state solution, and negotiate it, “I was just up in Ramallah. And by the way, we were talking about the Negev Summit and the countries participating in that – one of the things that we spent some time talking about is how we could use that grouping of countries to focus on helping Palestinians improve their lives. And we also made clear – and I certainly made clear – that as committed as we are to supporting normalization and to having more countries join in, that is not a substitute for dealing with the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, and not a substitute for two states”.
