NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, Javier Colomina, said on Tuesday that Algeria was an “essential” interlocutor in the fight against terrorism and a “key player” in the North Africa and Sahel region.
Speaking at a conference on “cooperation between Algeria and NATO” at the National Institute for Global Strategy Studies (Inesg), he said that “Algeria is a key player in the region of North Africa and the Sahel, and a key interlocutor on the issue of security, especially in the fight against terrorism.
Considering Algeria as a “strategic” partner, Mr. Colomina stressed that Algeria is also “an active member of the Mediterranean dialogue” where it has been a member for more than twenty years, indicating that cooperation between the two parties is “based on common objectives and challenges, including stability in Libya and the Sahel”.
He stressed the importance of “strengthening” this cooperation “with even greater determination in support of regional and international security, stability and peace”.
The Nato representative highlighted Algeria’s “considerable” expertise, saying that the transatlantic organisation was “happy” to benefit from it, particularly through “political dialogue, practical cooperation and exchanges between experts” on both sides.
Regarding cooperation between Algeria and NATO, Mr. Colomina said that it covers “rich and varied” areas, including the fight against terrorism and against light weapons and cyber-defence, considering that the regular participation of Algeria in the various programs of NATO is “further evidence of our common determination to strengthen our cooperation.
The NATO Deputy Secretary General called for a “regular and high-level political dialogue” with Algeria, notably through official visits on both sides, and the establishment of a real strategic dialogue in the security field of common interest.
As for the next summit of this organisation scheduled in Madrid (Spain) next June, Mr. Colomina announced that NATO will adopt, during this meeting, “new strategic concepts”, indicating that Algeria will be “closely associated with the reflection process”.
