Sellal and Valls: “Some shadowy quarters are trying to spoil Algeria- France relations”

Both Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal and his French counterpart Manuel Valls, have declared that the political leaderships in both countries will not allow any attempt to disturb the good relationship between the two friendly countries, adding that certain shadowy quarters have been seeking to spoil this relationship for murky reasons.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls highlighted Sunday in Algiers “the convergence of views” and “the strength and density” of ties between Algeria and France in all fields of endeavor.

Premier Sellal described in a joint press conference with Mr Valls, the third session of the Algerian-French Intergovernmental Committee held Sunday in Algiers as fruitful, despite the postponement of the signing of the “Peugeot” and “Total” major projects. However, other bilateral accords were initialed on the occasion of this high-level encounter.

In response to a question, from a journalist of “Echorouk” about his country’s support for the Moroccan stand on the Western Sahara dispute and the recent expulsion of the Moroccan Kingdom of team members of the MINURSO, Mr Manuel Valls argued that France supports the peace option of all states and respects international legitimacy, stressing that his country’s position on the issue of Western Sahara has never changed, while thanking Algeria for matching efforts to resolve the conflict in Mali and the Sahel region.

In response to a question about Morocco’s preference in the field of investment at the expense of Algeria, Mr Valls said that “Algeria is a big country and France a big country as well, and one shouldn’t compare their excellent relationship with any other country as France is Algeria’s second largest supplier and its first partner in terms of direct investments in Algeria.

In this respect, Prime Minister Abdelmalek called on French economic operators to further invest in Algeria, affirming that the Algerian government is willing to provide all necessary facilities.

“I call on French investors to work with their Algerian partners and strengthen friendship ties because nothing will turn us away from the future,” Mr Sellal stressed at the Algeria-French partnership forum.

In this regard, “the Algerian government is ready to ease investments in the vast Algerian market,” the Premier pointed out, adding that “all suggestions and initiatives are welcome in this field.”

“Genuine measures have been taken to encourage investment and partnership and improve business environment,” he stated.

Mr Sellal enumerated the comparative advantages offered by Algeria including political and macroeconomic stability, energy cost, a skilled workforce and local market development.

He also highlighted the “new and reliable” infrastructures network of the country, in addition to the future large containers’ port on the Mediterranean (El Hamdania port), which opens prospects “to move together towards foreign markets mainly in Africa,” he added.   

The current exchange between the two countries “offers a promising human and material potential for increased cooperation and bilateral economic relationship.”  

For the Prime Minister, the French entrepreneurial model meets the needs of the national economy “to launch profitable and mutually-beneficial projects.”