Hillary Clinton Arrives in Algeria

Algiers-U.S Secretary of State Ms. Hillary Clinton arrives here on Saturday to Algeria for a working visit at the invitation of the Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci who welcomed her at the International Airport Houari Boumediene.

Talks will focus on ways to tighten the bilateral ties between the two countries and political reforms in Algeria, Foreign Ministry says.

Same source added that talks will also cover the current issues of common interest such as the situation prevailing in some Arab countries, the regional integration in the Maghreb, security in the Sahel region and the fight against terrorism and organized crime. 

This first visit of Hillary Clinton to Algeria comes to devote efforts for tightening bilateral relationships between the two countries.

Previously on January Hillary Clinton welcomed her counterpart Algeria’s FM Mourad Medelci and spoke about the progress of bilateral ties between the two countries, asserting that such continuing consultations represent the consecration of the excellent bilateral ties between Algeria and the United States of America.

During the visit of Medelci to Washington, Hillary Clinton also hailed Algeria’s political reforms and its efforts to continue the democratic edifice which begun twenty years ago.

In terms of bilateral ties, counter-terrorism is one of the most important axes of partnership between Algeria and the USA, which expressed its gratitude for Algeria’s large efforts in this area, considering it as a key partner in the fight against this international phenomenon, particularly in the Sahel region.

Regarding economy, USA ranks as first customer to Algeria, which is classified by the U.S. Department of Commerce among the 20 countries that represent its parners and  have a surplus in the trade balance.

Algeria’s exports to USA reached $13.02 billion in 2011, while its imports from the same country reached $14.61 billion.  

Last visit of a U.S. Secretary of State dated back to September 2008 by Condoleezza Rais, following Colin Powell in 2003.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Tunisia’s president Moncef Marzouki on Saturday as she continued a tour of the region following a global meeting on Syria that ratcheted up pressure on Bashar al-Assad.

At the start of talks with President Moncef Marzouki, Clinton said the “Friends of Syria” meeting of more than 60 foreign ministers in Tunisia had been a success.

Hillary Clinton is also expected to head a visit to Morocco Saturday evening.