New Horizons For Algerian-Cameroonian Relations

Algeria, from its position as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, and Cameroon, from its position as the President of the United Nations General Assembly in its current session, contribute directly to advocating for a more, fairer and more balanced international system, (…) in which our African continent has its audible voice, its prominent role and its natural position as a respected, reliable and fully committed partner to making a definite and qualitative contribution to addressing major regional and international challenges, the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad and African Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, said on Saturday.

In a press conference following his reception of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the sisterly Republic of Cameroon, Lejeune Mbella Mbella, who is on an official visit to Algeria, and the signing of several agreements, Attaf revealed that three main steps were agreed upon on this occasion, which would open new horizons for Algerian-Cameroonian relations.

Attaf explained that the matter is about strengthening the legal framework for bilateral relations by accelerating negotiations on the more than seven legal texts currently presented to the two parties, which constitute an opportunity to diversify their partnership. He noted that today, the “agreement on the mutual exemption from visas for holders of diplomatic and important passports was signed, an agreement that will encourage and facilitate the movement of official delegations between the two countries.”

According to the minister, the second step concerns “activating the institutional mechanisms for bilateral cooperation by accelerating the organization of the next session of the joint government committee and activating the political consultation mechanism between the two countries, as well as activating the Algerian-Cameroonian Business Council, which was established in January 2023.”

The third and final step, Attaf added, is to “define and update the priorities of bilateral cooperation by working, on the one hand, to value the results achieved in traditional fields, such as the military fields, higher education and vocational training fields, in addition of inter-transportation in all its dimensions and means, and on the other hand, to expand the priorities of cooperation to include fields that are at the heart of the interests of the national development efforts in the two countries, such as those related to energy, mining, the pharmaceutical industry, agriculture, fishing and doubling efforts to promote inter-trade within the framework of the continental free trade area.”

“Algeria is also keen to consolidate the traditions of inter-consultation and political coordination between the two countries, whether it is related to developments in the situations in their areas of affiliation or to issues of peace, security and development in the African continent, or to the rapid and disturbing developments on the international scene that continue to have repercussions and consequences on the countries and peoples of the African continent,” Attaf confirmed.

In this regard, he pointed out that “these developments confirm the need to redouble efforts to strengthen the existing agreements between the two countries on more than one level, firstly at the bilateral level, because Algeria and Cameroon are always seeking to spread security and stability in their troubled areas of affiliation.”

According to Attaf, the second development is that “Algeria and Cameroon are fully committed to the African unity project and to strengthening the role of the African Union to keep our continent away from the tensions and polarizations witnessed in our world today.”

Thirdly and finally, the minister concluded, “at the international level, because Algeria, from its position as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, and Cameroon, from its position as the president of the United Nations General Assembly in its current session, are directly contributing to the advocacy for the establishment of a more just, more equitable and more balanced international system.”