ALGIERS- The visit of President of the Italian Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni to Algeria, starting Wednesday, marks a new milestone in strengthening the strategic partnership between the two friendly nations and provides an opportunity to reaffirm their strong commitment to bolstering bilateral cooperation and expanding its horizons.
Upon her arrival at Houari Boumediene International Airport, President of the Italian Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni was received by Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb.
The visit reaffirms the remarkable dynamism characterising the deep-rooted relations between the two countries in recent years, reflected in reciprocal official visits and intensive contacts between President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune and his Italian counterpart, President Sergio Mattarella, both determined to impart fresh impetus to bilateral ties and strengthen strategic dialogue and cooperation for the mutual benefit of the two friendly peoples, in accordance with the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation binding them.
Meloni's visit also provides an occasion to evaluate the outcomes of existing joint strategic agreements and projects, explore new partnership opportunities across various sectors, and lay the groundwork for the establishment of an Algerian-Italian Chamber of Commerce.
In this context, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune conducted an official visit to Italy last July, co-chairing with Prime Minister Meloni the fifth High-Level Algerian-Italian Intergovernmental Summit.
The summit culminated in the signing of several partnership agreements and memoranda of understanding covering agriculture, fisheries, investment, energy and film production, as well as cooperation in emergency relief, firefighting and counter-terrorism, alongside a joint declaration on defence.
President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune described the visit as "a prominent milestone in the context of continuous work and coordination to strengthen and expand the partnership between the two friendly countries," expressing confidence that what had been achieved "opens vast horizons for a strategic and exemplary Algerian-Italian partnership that truly reflects the depth of longstanding relations and the deep-rooted bonds of friendship between the two peoples." Prior to that, Tebboune had conducted a state visit to Italy in May 2022, consolidating the excellent bilateral relationship through the signing of several significant cooperation agreements.
In June 2024, at Prime Minister Meloni's invitation, he participated in the G7 Summit in the Italian city of Bari.
President Sergio Mattarella, for his part, paid a state visit to Algeria in November 2021, expanding the scope of bilateral cooperation through three major agreements covering justice, education and culture.
In all their meetings and exchanges, both presidents have consistently emphasised a strong convergence of views on a wide range of international and regional issues of mutual concern.
In that spirit, President of the Republic told participants at the second Africa-Italy Summit in Addis Ababa last February that the decades-long Algerian-Italian experience "constitutes today a practical pillar of the Mattei Plan, demonstrating that political will and mutual trust can deliver results that serve the interests of both peoples and contribute to regional stability." In January 2023, Prime Minister Meloni visited Algeria, culminating in a joint declaration marking the twentieth anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation, alongside four memoranda of understanding covering energy, technology, peaceful space activities, and cooperation between the Algerian Economic Renewal Council and the Italian Confederation of Industry and Economy.
Within the framework of intensive bilateral exchanges, Chief of Staff of the People's National Army (PNA), Army General Saïd Chanegriha, visited Italy in 2024, with both sides lauding the "excellent level of military cooperation between the two friendly countries, reflecting the understanding and deep trust that characterise Algerian-Italian relations."
