By 
Algeria has called for stronger economic cooperation with Zambia, saying it was time to transform decades of historic political solidarity into tangible cooperation, including trade and investment partnerships.
In an exclusive interview with Zambia Monitor, Algerian Ambassador to Zambia, Tewfik MAHI, said the two nations had enjoyed close relations since the 1960s when they stood side by side in Africa’s liberation struggles, defending the right for self-determination.
“Our relations date back to the independence era in the 1960s. Both countries were deeply involved in supporting liberation movements across Africa, including Namibia and Angola, and stood against colonial powers. This laid the foundation for excellent political relations from 1964 until the early 1990s,” he said.
He noted that while political ties remained strong, economic relations had lagged behind.
To bridge the gap, MAHI said Algeria and Zambia were working to establish a formal framework for trade and investment
“We are working closely with Zambian authorities to create this framework for enhancing economic cooperation. The participation of our companies in major economic events in Zambia, and likewise for Zambian companies in Algeria, is key to moving this partnership forward,” Ambassador MAHI explained.
In this regard, he said that he was very pleased with the participation of Zambian companies at the last IATF edition held in Algiers from 4 to 10 September.
He said Algeria’s industries, including cosmetics, food processing, and cement had capacity for export and partnerships, while Zambia offered opportunities in agriculture, mining, and services.
MAHI said Algeria’s cement sector alone produced around 20 million of tons and had more than 20 million tons of export capacities, giving the country’s strong export potential for Africa’s growing infrastructure needs.
“This gives us opportunities to work with Zambian partners, taking into account that sectors such as pharmaceuticals, household appliances, cement, cosmetics, food industries are very competitive, have excellent quality and export capabilities,” he added.
The envoy also pointed to education as another area of cooperation, highlighting Algeria’s scholarship programme for Zambian students.
He highlighted a new initiative launched by the government called ‘Study in Algeria’ which allowed foreign students to study in Algeria in several fields, such as information security, artificial intelligence, in universities and higher educational institutions.
Ambassador MAHI further underscored the role of the media in cementing bilateral cooperation, saying it played a critical role in informing the public, promoting business-to-business engagement, and strengthening people-to-people ties. “Media plays an important role in building bridges between our two nations. It helps our business communities, our students, and our societies at large to understand each other better and to seize opportunities for cooperation,” MAHI said.
“Our cooperation covers political and educational fields. We want to diversify this cooperation and deepen this engagement to benefit our peoples,” he added.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
Comments