Estonian diplomatic delegation visits Algeria
The first political consultations between the Algerian and Estonian foreign ministries took place on Sunday. The meeting discussed bilateral relations, potential future cooperation in the area of e-government, and issues related to migration and security.
The Estonian delegation was led by the director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ political department, Paul Teesalu. The Algerian delegation was led by ambassador Abderrahmane Benguerrah, the director of the Algerian foreign ministry’s European department.
Apart from the countries’ bilateral relations, matters relating to security and migration were discussed, among them the current situation in North Africa and the Sahel, diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis in Libya and Syria, and Algeria’s relations with the European Union.
“Algeria is an extremely important cooperation partner for Europe in the context of ensuring regional stability as well as that of the migration crisis,” Teesalu said. “We also see the possibility for bilateral cooperation in international organizations.”
Teesalu introduced his Algerian colleague to the priorities of the upcoming Estonian EU council presidency, and the situation to the east of the union.
Estonia’s first diplomatic visit to Algeria produced a cooperation protocol between the two foreign ministries. A delegation of the Algerian ministry of the interior had previously visited Estonia to familiarize with its e-government systems.
Editor: Editor: Dario Cavegn