PM Sellal: “President Abdelaziz Bouteflika Is In Good Shape”

Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal stated on Thursday in Tunis that the President of the Republic Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika is “in good shape”.

“The President of the Republic is in good shape and sends you his greetings,” Mr Sellal said in his reply to a reporter’s question following the 21st session of the Algerian-Tunisian high Joint Commission.

Shortly after his arrival in Tunis, Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal, who was on a working visit there as part of the holding of the 21st Algerian-Tunisian High Joint Commission, was received Thursday by Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi.

This meeting was held in the presence of Minister of Maghreb Affairs, African Union and Arab League Abdelkader Messahel, Minister of Interior and Local Assemblies Noureddine Bedoui, Minister of Energy Noureddine Boutarfa, Minister of Housing, Town Planning and the City  and Acting Trade Minister Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries Abdesselam Chelghoum, as well as several members of the Tunisian Government.

During the encounter, Mr Sellal conveyed the warm greetings and best regards of the President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika to Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi.

The talks centered notably on how best to further consolidate Algerian-Tunisian relations for the sake of shoring up stability and security in the entire region.

Mr Sellal also conferred later on with his Tunisian opposite number Mr Youcef Chahed and with the Speaker of the Tunisian Parliament Mr Mohamed Ennaceur.

Meanwhile, PM Abdelmalek Sellal affirmed Thursday in Tunis that the situation now prevailing in the region required further cooperation and coordination between Algeria and Tunisia so as to ensure security and stability, and efficiently fight against the scourges of terrorism, extremism and cross-border crime.

Speaking at the opening of the 21st session of the High Algerian-Tunisian Joint Commission in the Tunisian capital, Mr Sellal hailed the close cooperation between both countries’ security services, a cooperation that will be further beefed up by the signing of a security agreement.   

The Premier also stated that Algeria and Tunisia were facing major security challenges that required joint efforts to mobilize energies, particularly with regard to the woeful situation in Libya and its direct adverse impact on the two neighboring countries.

He recalled that Algeria’s stance favoring a political solution, is the only viable means to achieve peace and stability in Libya, while highlighting the full backing provided by Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt to reach this major objective through the fostering of an inclusive Inter-Libyan dialogue in line with the approach advocated by the United Nations on the issue.

This international organization “must shoulder its responsibilities in the smooth implementation of the decisions taken by the UN Security Council to safeguard the unity, the sovereignty and stability of Libya away from any foreign interference,” he underscored.  

Mr Sellal further reaffirmed Algeria’s will to further bolster brotherhood and cooperation ties with Tunisia and strive for their promotion in keeping with both peoples’ legitimate aspirations for sustainable development, security, peace and prosperity.

It should be noted that the proceedings of the 21st session of the Algerian-Tunisian Joint high Commission co-chaired by Mr Sellal and Mr Chahed, culminated in the signing of 8 bilateral agreements and Memoranda of Understanding in various fields of endeavor.