Algeria and Mali reiterated their common desire to “strengthen” and “diversify” their bilateral relations in many fields, and “welcomed” the convergence of their analyzes on many regional and international issues, as indicated by the joint press release that culminated the day before yesterday, Wednesday, the work of the seventeenth session of the Strategic Algerian Malian Bilateral Committee.
The source added that the two parties “praised the continuous initiatives in the political, military, security, economic, social and cultural fields,” and committed “to strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy, telecommunications, trade and training, and facilitating the movement of goods and individuals.”
Both parties also expressed their conviction of the encouraging results of the previous sessions of the bilateral strategic committee, and stressed the importance of dedicating the cooperation projects that were identified and approved on the occasion of the sixteenth session of the committee, which was held in Algiers on 4 and 5 April 2021.
For its part, the peace and reconciliation agreement in Mali emanating from Algiers process was at the center of the work of the committee, which met on Wednesday in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad, Ramtane Lamamra, and his Malian counterpart, Abdoulaye Diop.
In this regard, the two sides stressed the “necessity to expedite the implementation of the agreement, which is the appropriate framework for embodying the final and sustainable return to stability in the country.”
Mr. Diop praised “the important role played by Algeria in its capacity as the supervisor of the international mediation leadership and the head of the follow-up committee of the agreement to restore peace and stability in Mali, within the framework of respecting the sovereignty of the Malian State,” according to the same source.
For his part, Mr. Lamamra reiterated Algeria’s commitment to accompanying the Malian authorities in organizing the upcoming elections and supporting the peace path through the implementation of development projects.
With regard to regional and international issues of common interest, Algeria and Bamako noted “with satisfaction that their analyzes are consistent with all the files that have been dealt with,” according to the joint communiqué.
On the other hand, the two sides “reaffirmed their condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and called for better coordination of efforts to combat this scourge, especially radicalism and violent extremism,” according to the document.
Both Algeria and Mali reiterated their “strong condemnation of paying ransoms to terrorist groups in exchange for the liberation of hostages, in accordance with the decisions of the African Union Heads of State and Government Conference and relevant UN Security Council regulations,” according to the same source.
With regard to the situation in Libya, the two sides stressed “the quick achievement of a final settlement of the crisis in Libya, an end to external interference and the flow of weapons, and the withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries.”
With regard to the issue of Western Sahara and the ensuing military escalation between the two parties to the conflict, the Kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front, the two ministers called for the resumption of negotiations under the supervision of the UN Secretary-General without preconditions and in good faith with the aim of reaching a fair and sustainable political settlement that would allow the self-determination of the Sahrawi people in accordance with relevant UN Security Council regulations, relevance, objectives and principles proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitutive Agreement of the African Union.
On the other hand, the two sides renewed their “steadfast support for the Palestinian people in exercising their legitimate rights represented in the establishment of an independent and sovereign state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, according to the statement, which indicated on the other hand that the 18th session of the bilateral strategic committee will be held in Bamako on a date that will be determined by common agreement.”
