Britain granted 13.000 visas for Algerians in 2011, UK Ambassador Martyn Roper says

Algiers (17/01/2012) – UK Ambassador to Algeria Martyn Roper refuses to give any details about the deportation of Abdelmoumene Khalifa to Algeria and just said that it’s only up to the British justice to decide.

British Ambassador to Algiers told Echorouk, during a workshop on the British experience in the field of training, that Abdelmoumene Khalifa may be deported to Algiers, adding that he cannot comment on this file because it’s up to the British justice to decide.

Martyn Roper responded to a question about granting visas to Algerians; “We granted between 12.000 and 13.000 in 2011. We hope to lift this number in the future”.

Concerning the visa facilities to Algerians he asserted that Algeria’s Sports Delegation which will participate in the Olympic Games will benefit from a special program of facilities and assistance, and even Algerians wishing to visit the UK can benefit from visas in less than 15 days.

“The volume of trade exchange between Algeria and Britain reaches $2b, including £430m of British exports to Algeria, the equivalent of $550m, while the value of Algeria’s exports to the UK reaches $1.5b, mostly hydrocarbons. Over 50 British companies are operating in Algeria, in many fields such as pharmaceutical industry, as the two countries sign partnership in the production of medicines in Algeria. One of those projects will be soon launched”.

A delegation representing the TVET UK, specialized in Technical and Vocational Education and Training, showed Britain’s experience in the field of developing professional skills for Algerian employers and ways to benefit from the British experience in the field of training for staff, according to requirements of the local market.

The British Cultural Council “British Council”, will organize, on the end of January, a Forum to discuss ways of creating a Center for Teaching the English Language in Algeria.