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Spanish Foreign Minister: Algeria a priority country for the EU

- Andy McDonough

Tuesday, 15 June 2010 21:33

Moratinos_Algeria_a_priority_country_for_the_EU

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos has described as “extremely positive” the fifth EU-Algeria Association Council held in Luxembourg today. “Algeria is one of the priority countries for the European Union, of strategic importance to our external relations policy,” he said in a press conference with his Algerian counterpart Mourad Medelci.

“In political terms, we’ve seen growing mutual interests,” said Moratinos, who chaired the meeting on behalf of the High Representative, Catherine Ashton, “more visits, more meetings, more commitments, and this has allowed us to highlight our mutual interests in maintaining this high level of political dialogue.”

“We discussed how to avail ourselves of the instruments in the agreement and find ways of improving our trade and financial relations and bring those in line with our political ambitions,” he said

Moratinos said the two sides also discussed common international challenges, such as the regional context of the Maghreb, but also assisting the UN in finding a solution to the Western Sahara problem, the fight against terrorism, the EU-Africa summit pencilled in for November, Mediterranean issues, and the Middle East peace process.

In a Declaration issued after the Association Council, and published on the website of the Council of the European Union, Algeria noted with satisfaction the holding of the Council, “which testifies to the desire of both partners to deepen their political dialogue and to strengthen their relations of cooperation, which are as substantial as they are many formed”.

Algeria reaffirmed its commitment to the Association Agreement with the EU, saying it was “not an end in itself, but a means aimed at establishing a balanced and mutually advantageous partnership with its European partner”.

Algeria welcomed the signature on 6 June of the memorandum on the 2011-13 National Indicative Programme with a global allocation of €172 million covering six cooperation projects linked to sustainable development, culture, economic growth and employment.

Algeria’s relations with the EU are defined by the Association Agreement (AA). Algeria does not have a European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) Action Plan with the EU. Nevertheless, in 2008 in an effort to accompany the implementation of the AA, the EU and Algeria signed a ‘Roadmap for the implementation of the Association Agreement’. This document identifies a series of concrete actions in the priority sectors of economic reform, trade, energy, circulation of persons and the fight against terrorism in order to further exploit the potential of the AA.

At the Association Council of 16 June 2009, Algeria confirmed the importance it attaches to the Roadmap, while the European Commission underlined the importance of achieving tangible results in its implementation. Algeria also agreed to establish a sub-committee on ‘Political diaogue, security and human rights’.

In terms of strategy, the major challenges for Algeria remain governance to ensure social and economic stability, as well as economic diversification to reduce the dependence on hydrocarbons.

The overall budget for bilateral EU assistance to Algeria in the framework of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) will amount to €172 million, or an average of €57.33 million a year, according to the NIP. This represents a 4.2 % increase compared to the programming period 2007-2010, where €55 million a year had been earmarked.

The Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2007-2013 outlines eight areas eligible for support:
• Human rights reform;
• Reform in the field of justice, migratory flows and terrorism;
• Diversification of the economy;
• Sustainable development;
• Development of education;
• Reinforcement of social programmes;
• Facilitation of trade;
• Development of infrastructure.

The EU is Algeria’s most important trading partner, accounting for 51% of Algeria’s international trade.

Global Arab Network

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