Algeria and Mali set up business council to spearhead economic ties
The first forum that has brought up Algeria and Mali economists has come up with a resolution to set up first of its kind joint business council to spearhead the interests of both countries.
The Algerian operators also called on the Malian businessmen to be "massively present" during the African Businessmen Forum, scheduled early December in Algiers, and which represents an opportunity to explore new possibilities of economic investments.
The two countries’ operators stressed the need to "work together to move towards a completely commercial cooperation to an economic cooperation based on production and industry."
In the same regard, Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ramtane Lamamra, who attended the closing session of the forum, said that the meeting should open "new horizons" for a profitable partnership in line with the "huge potential" of the two countries.
Underlining that it is "necessary to take every opportunity to consolidate peace through economic development," Lamamra reaffirmed the "mobilization" of Algeria alongside Mali, because it is a matter of "common peace."
The forum also saw the two countries sign 13 agreements of cooperation in the fields of energy, oil and gas, geological and mining research and water resources among others.
The agreements were inked by Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ramtane Lamamra, and Malian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Africa Integration and International Cooperation, Abdoulaye Diop, in the presence of the two Prime Ministers Abdelmalek Sellal and Modibo Keïta.
The two countries have also signed an agreement on a study of funds mobilization for the construction of three power plants in three major cities of Mali, including Timbuktu and Gao.
They also signed three Memoranda of Understanding for the promotion of the foreign trade, solidarity and employment.
Moreover, Algeria and Mali inked a programme for cultural exchange over the period 2017.
