Messahel leads strategic dialogue in Washington

Minister Delegate for Maghreb and African affairs, Abdelkader Messahel, will travel to Washington on Friday, accompanied by a number of senior officials from different ministries. He will co-chair the first meeting of the Algerian-American strategic dialogue. The agenda of the meeting includes intensifying bilateral cooperation in addition to the issues of African Sahel and the crisis in the Western desert and the Middle East. The statement of the Algerian Foreign Ministry said that the start of the Algerian-American strategic dialogue translates the shared commitment of Algeria and the United States to establish a regular and structured framework for deep exchanges. This seeks to intensify bilateral cooperation in all sectors and optimise concentration on all international issues. The meeting comes at a time where the world is witnessing several developments in areas of tension. The agenda of the meeting also includes discussions of the situation in Sahel and the efforts done to settle the crisis in Mali, fighting against terrorism, issues of peace and security in Africa, developments in the Western Sahara crisis, the situation in the Middle East, disarmament and the Mediterranean region. The statement said:“ This new milestone in the already strong and permanently expanding Algerian-American relations confirms the significance of Algeria in the views of its main partners and their shared willingness to emphasise the exemplary nature of bilateral relations based on mutual benefits.” The meeting focuses on the deep cooperation between both countries in the sectors of education and higher education, science and new technologies, trade, agriculture, housing, water, culture and youth affairs. The Algerian delegation led by Messahel will meet senior American officials at the US State Department and the White House in Washington starting Friday.