The second meeting of the Algerian-French Joint Economic Committee (COMEFA), which opened Monday in Oran, is a "step forward in the implementation of a direct partnership in the fields of industry and production," said Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra.
"The meeting aims at further enhance the existing partnership between Algeria and France in various fields," said the minister during a press briefing held jointly with French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Laurent Fabius, in presence of Minister of Industry and Mining Abdessalem Bouchouareb and French Minister of Economy, Industry and the Digital Sector Emmanuel Macron.
During the press briefing, Lamamra said that the meeting has been held ahead of the High-level meeting between Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal and French Prime Minister Emmanuel Valls, scheduled for 4 December in Paris.
For his part, Abdeslam Bouchouareb underlined that the COMEFA meeting "shows the willingness of the presidents Abdelaziz Bouteflika and François Hollande to move towards a strategic partnership between the two countries in all areas."
This meeting aims at "broadening cooperation to many areas, like agriculture, tourism, food industry, steel and iron industry, housing...," said Bouchouareb, adding that "at least 21 projects in various sectors have been examined, many of them will be signed in December."
In this regard, the minister cited a joint venture for the production of industrial gas in Annaba, which is very important for the development of steel and iron industry in Algeria, and projects that will be launched in the industrial park of Bellara (Jijel).
The COMEFA meeting was also attended by Minister of Housing Abdelmadjid Tebboun, Minister of Tourism Nouria Zerhouni, Minister of Agriculture Abdelwahab Nouri and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Mohamed Mebarki.