As part of a wider Middle Eastern diplomatic tour, a delegation from Algiers has arrived in Ankara to discuss regional issues, expand business ties and identify areas of mutual cooperation between our great nations.

The Region at a Glance

As tensions in our neighbourhood flare and in some cases boil over, we must retain our commitments to friendly nations and reaffirm our desires for peace and prosperity.

On the issue of recent violence in Palestine, we would like to make a joint statement deploring Israeli aggression against Palestinian civilians and call upon both sides to come to a lasting peace agreement that is equitable for all living in the region. Furthermore, we will be reiterating our commitment to permanently ending the illegal occupation of Palestinian land by Israeli imperialists, but we understand if politically Turkey cannot do the same.

On the recent Libyan ceasefire, we would like to ensure that Turkey commits to upholding the ceasefire until elections are held in December to allow Libya to end its decade long civil war. [S] We are also open to discussing which presidential candidate would be most mutually beneficial to both our nations. [/S]

Over the past few years, what some analysts are calling a cold war has begun to unfold between Turkey and Saudi Arabia, as both vy for influence throughout the Middle East and Africa. This has made Ankara’s attempts to boost trade relations in Africa difficult, as Morocco trends closer towards Riyadh, with some believing that Moroccan businesses participate in Suadi boycotts of Turkish goods. As our relations with Morocco are less than stellar, a unique opportunity is presented. By building up our business and investment ties, we can be Turkey’s gateway into Africa as our economy increases to liberalise, punishing Rabat for deviating from Ankara. Furthermore, a reevaluation of Turkey’s position on the Western Sahara would send a clear signal to Moroccan officials. We aren’t asking you to recognise the Polisario Front or an independent Western Sahara, although we are open to that, we are merely asking that Turkey announce its commitment to the UN-proposed independence referendum. This would also signal to the international community your commitment to international law and institutions, a win for your soft power image.

Strictly Business

Turkey is a major import and export partner for Algeria, with bilateral trade increasing steadily to $5 billion annually. We would like to commit to attempting to increase that to $8 billion by 2026.

We propose the creation of a Turkish-Algerian business council, to allow prominent companies and business leaders to liaise on possible joint ventures and beneficial investment opportunities. Furthermore, companies will be able to expand to new markets, understand the rapidly changing trade environment and local contexts, and keep current on issues affecting their counterparts markets.

We also propose the introduction of visa free travel for citizens of our nations to facilitate the efficient flow of goods, services and people.

We’re also tentatively reaching out about the possibility of a Turkish-Algerian Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) as part of President Tebboune’s liberalisation reforms to boost the post-COVID economy. This would involve the reduction and eventual removal of tariffs and trade barriers on upto 95% of goods, with the timeline being negotiable. Of particular importance to us is the removal of remaining barriers around petroleum products, chemicals, fertilizers and foodstuffs. Goods would have to be 70% produced in Algeria or Turkey to benefit from tariff reductions.

The agreement would also involve the removal of barriers around the following services and industries to streamline the flow of people and goods:

• Developing joint standards around food packaging, safety and pesticides. This will ensure that both countries are producing food that can be exported freely between us.

• Algerian law firms will be able to establish representative offices in Turkey and advise on Algerian and public international law. They will be able to enter into cooperative agreements with local law firms and establish joint ventures and hire local lawyers. The same will apply for Turkish lawyers in Algeria.

• Algerian accountants are able to establish offices in Turkey to provide consultancy services on international and Algerian accounting laws. They will also be able to work and invest in Turkish accounting firms. The same will apply for Turkish accountants in Algeria.

• Education, engineering and other professional services will have mutual recognition of their qualifications in either country, as well as degrees obtained in both countries' universities being valid for employment.