ALGERIAN'S FOREIGN POLICY 

Italian President Sergio Mattarella starts two-state visit to Algeria

ALGIERS- President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella started Saturday a two-day State visit to Algeria, leading a large delegation.

President Mattarella was welcomed upon his arrival at the Houari-Boumediene International Airport of Algiers by President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

The welcoming ceremony was attended by the speaker of the Council of the Nation (upper house of Parliament), Salah Goudjil, the speaker of the People's National Assembly (lower house), Brahim Boughali, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Aimene Benabderrahmane, the minister of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad, Ramtane Lamamra, and Lieutenant General Said Chanegriha, the chief of the Army Staff.

The two leaders listened to the national anthems of the two countries, before receiving salute from a detachment of the Republican Guard and three corps of the People's National Army.

The Italian President's visit is aimed at consolidating partnership and strengthening the relations of close cooperation between the two friendly countries while opening new perspectives to serve the interests of both peoples.

The visit will be an opportunity for the two countries to continue the political dialogue they have had for several years, while focusing on a strong and strategic partnership in various fields to address the regional challenges they face.

In this respect, the centuries-old Algerian-Italian relations, marked by friendship and mutual respect, are poised to be further consolidated.

In December 2020, the two countries signed in Algiers the Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Dialogue on Bilateral Relations and Political and Global Security Issues, as an extension of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation they signed in 2003 in Algiers.