ALGIERS, 3 December (BelTA) - Belarus and Algeria should reach at least $500 million in mutual trade in the next year or two, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko told the media following talks with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on 3 December, BelTA has learned.
“Last year, we reached $50 million in mutual trade. For the potential that we and Algeria possess, this is a laughable figure. We must, within the next year or two (the president and I agreed on this), reach at least $500 million in the next year or two,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
“I can confidently state that the talks with my counterpart were quite specific. We discussed the entire bilateral agenda, as well as the current international situation,” the Belarusian president said. “Our positions coincide on essentially all issues of the international agenda. Our talks today, if they concern anyone (and as I understood from the president’s words, they do), are absolutely not directed against third countries. We conducted the negotiations on an equal footing, in the interests of our peoples.”
“Algeria is a global gateway to Africa. Herein lies our pragmatism. I told my friend and comrade, the president of Algeria, this very thing. We discussed many topics. But there is no need to drag all these matters up to the highest level. Two days ago, we held an excellent forum here where the heads of our companies and corporations met. They see the concrete issues and have agreed on much. No topics are off-limits. This includes not only humanitarian issues and agriculture but also the military-industrial complex,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.
In this regard, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that it is no secret that Algeria primarily possesses weaponry based on technology from the Soviet era, which is now procured from post-Soviet countries. “And when it comes to repairing and modernizing this equipment, there are no competitors in the post-Soviet space today. But we are now capable of not just modernizing and repairing armaments; we can produce many types of weaponry independently,” the Belarusian leader remarked.
“As for mechanical engineering (and Belarus is a machine-building country) the president said they are interested in establishing joint ventures for the production of tractors and automobiles. That’s our field. We are ready to work on this. It is unlikely we will have competitors in terms of price and quality,” the president said. “We are ready to share our technology with you. We can supply the corresponding equipment based on these technologies and produce it together. And, if necessary, train your personnel in these technologies."
According to him, Algeria is particularly in great need of Belarusian agricultural machinery and farming technologies, as without them, it is impossible to address the issue of food security. Regarding one of the major projects in this area, Aleksandr Lukashenko also suggested implementing it as a trilateral venture, together with Oman, in the fertilizer production sector.
The president further noted that Algeria is interested in dairy and meat production. “That is our forte. We are always capable and have already begun cooperating in this regard,” he emphasized.
Another promising direction is cooperation in education. Algeria graduates a large number of specialists from its universities every year, and doctors from this country, in particular, make up a very significant proportion of medical professionals in France. “That says it all. There was a reason they fought against French colonialism,” the Belarusian leader said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that Algeria well remembers the era of cooperation with the Soviet Union and that the delegation from Belarus is now received as good and reliable friends.
The head of state observed that Algeria has made a powerful leap in its development over the past years and has succeeded in many areas. “Everyone is eager to come here. Of course, Algeria is selective. It cooperates primarily with states that are friendly towards it. Everyone wants to work here and already is. Algeria has excellent relations with Spain, Germany, Italy,” the president said. “That’s why I began to wonder: I thought, where is our place in Algeria? When the president continued his account, I understood that we can always find our place to work among our friends.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko invited Algerian representatives during the talks to visit Belarus to study the existing opportunities. “The doors are open for Algerians as our reliable, good friends. If something suits and appeals to you, we are ready to cooperate and work with you. But not in the way the colonialists once did. We are ready to cooperate as friends, as close people,” the head of state said. “47 million people, a vast country with the greatest potential. This is a place to work. We have agreed on much. And this is not a beginning. We are elevating our relations to a higher level. And going forward, we will accomplish a great deal more.”
Abdelmadjid Tebboune also commented on the outcome of the talks: “We have assessed the progress in our bilateral relations. We spoke about key issues and discussed our plan for 2026-2027. We have agreed to support investments in agriculture, mechanical engineering, pharmaceuticals, and scientific research. Our ministers have discussed all matters concerning trade.”
The Algerian president highlighted the potential for growth in bilateral trade.
Abdelmadjid Tebboune stated that during the negotiations, the presidents also discussed a number of international issues, including the situations in Palestine and Libya. The question of resolving the conflict in Ukraine was also discussed. The heads of state agreed that it must be resolved peacefully through negotiations.
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