Algeria, Russia to cooperate on security matters

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Feb 2023 23:54

The parties discussed issues of interaction between law enforcement agencies and special services, as well as other issues of the Russian-Algerian security cooperation

Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev attends a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with senior military officers in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022 (Sergey Fadeichev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

At an official meeting in Algiers, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev met with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Algerian security officials to discuss bilateral cooperation on law enforcement and intelligence services.

"Nikolai Patrushev met with Said Chanegriha, the chief of staff of the Algerian People's National Army, and M'henna Djebbar, the director general of the Directorate of Documentation and External Security. The parties discussed issues of interaction between law enforcement agencies and special services, as well as other issues of the Russian-Algerian security cooperation," the statement by the Russian security council read.

The Russian Security Council announced also that Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev met with the President of Algeria Abdelmadjid Tebboune and discussed a wide range of topics of bilateral cooperation in various spheres.

Patrushev meets with Algerian counterparts on a regular basis. Russia and Algeria have already had talks in regard to security concerns in Moscow in April 2022, during which the parties announced intentions for future cooperation in security and the exchange of intelligence.

Algeria and Russia have maintained close affinity over the years. Bilateralism between the two countries has been developing consistently. Algeria is among Russia’s three major trade partners in the African continent.

Algeria abstained from voting on the UN Resolution condemning Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.

In early November, Algeria submitted an official application to join the BRICS, the Al-Shorouk newspaper reported, citing Leila Zaruki, the Algerian Foreign Ministry's special envoy for the international partnership.

The step would help Algeria boost its economic ties with the group's members as the country could develop its cooperation with other countries in areas such as mineral, gas, and water resources, among other things.

In 2022, after Algeria expressed interest in joining BRICS, the Russian foreign minister that given "the rapidly developing friendly ties" between Russia and Algeria, the two countries plan to sign "a new inter-state strategic document, which will reflect the new quality of our relations."