ALGIERS, 2 December (BelTA) - The prospects for cooperation between Belarus and Algeria are very substantial, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov told the media ahead of the visit of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to Algeria, BelTA has learned.
“Expectations are the highest. We have studied Algeria quite well and see that the prospects for our cooperation are very promising,” Maxim Ryzhenkov stated.
The minister noted that Algeria is, to a certain extent, a self-sufficient state, a major producer of natural gas and oil. “However, when faced with such an attitude from the European Union and certain countries [referring, among other things, to its relatively recent colonial past and struggle for independence] the country is increasingly developing its own manufacturing and energy sectors," he said.
“In this regard, we can, of course, contribute with our technologies. We can supply the equipment they need for working new lands and start assembling it here. They have a 'green' program where our high-power tractors could be useful,” Maxim Ryzhenkov stated. “A very serious program to upgrade the passenger vehicle fleet is underway. Prospects are great for our buses, other utility vehicles, electric buses, and so on.”
There are prospects for cooperation in the construction sector as well, where Belarusian machinery could also prove useful.
“During these days, while an official delegation is working in Algeria ahead of the president's visit, we have worked out in great detail with our Algerian colleagues the entire range of relations and mutually beneficial areas where we can cooperate, not by interfering in each other's competencies from a competitive standpoint, but by complementing each other,” the Belarusian minister of foreign affairs said. “If we are talking about assembly manufacture, that is where we come in. If it's about agriculture -nuts, dates, fruits - we will be ready to purchase these in Algeria for Belarusian citizens.”
Maxim Ryzhenkov also noted that Algeria has a well-developed pharmaceutical sector, and here, the countries can cooperate to enhance each other's competencies in terms of necessary medications. For example, Algeria needs Belarusian anti-cancer drugs.
A separate topic is the supply of food products from Belarus. “At present, it must be noted that the supply of powdered milk, whey, and certain similar goods makes the basis of our trade with Algeria. These are indeed very substantial volumes. Thanks to the work we have done with the Algerian side and the support of the Algerian president, we have obtained the certificates for all our dairy products, which allows us to trade here without obstacles today,” he said.
“In recent days, a decision has been made to also include dairy-based baby food products in this list, which likewise opens up quite substantial prospects,” the minister added.
He clarified that this primarily concerns wholesale supplies with subsequent packaging within Algeria, for sale both in the country's domestic market and further in other countries of the region.
When asked about how Algeria fits into Belarus' strategy for gaining a foothold on the African continent, Maxim Ryzhenkov said: “Absolutely. They are very open to cooperation; they see us as a promising partner. There are no historical issues that burden our relations. On the contrary, we have a lot of things in common, from which we can draw on while developing our political dialogue.”
“Algeria could also become a certain gateway for our goods to Africa. They, too, are counting on our assistance in promoting Algerian goods in the Eurasian Economic Union,” Maxim Ryzhenkov added.
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