Physical Address
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The President of the Republic, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Minister of National Defense, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, received, this Tuesday, the head of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), Army General Michael Langley. A visit that comes at a time when the situation in the Maghreb region and the Sahel constitute a major concern for Algeria and the United States.
The hearing took place in the presence of the Chief of Staff of the National People’s Army (ANP), Army General Saïd Chanegriha, the Director of the Cabinet at the Presidency of the Republic, Mr. Boualem Boualem, and the Advisor to the President of the Republic in charge of Affairs related to Defense and Security, Mr. Boumediene Benattou, according to a press release from the Presidency of the Republic.
AFRICOM Commander General Michael Langley is conducting a working visit to Algeria leading a large military delegation. This is his second visit to Algeria since being appointed Commander of AFRICOM.
He was also received in audience this Tuesday by Army General Said Chanegriha, at the headquarters of the ANP General Staff.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of National Defense, Force Commanders, Department Heads and Central Directors of the ANP General Staff and the Ministry of National Defense, members of the American military delegation and the United States Ambassador to Algiers attended the meeting.
According to a statement from the Ministry of National Defense, during this meeting, the two parties “discussed the security challenges facing the African continent, as well as exchanged views on issues of common interest and ways to consolidate military cooperation relations between the two countries.”
On this occasion, the Army General stressed that “Algeria was continuing its efforts aimed at strengthening joint African action in the fight against and prevention of terrorism and that it has launched several initiatives to consolidate African security cooperation mechanisms.”
According to Army General Chanegriha, this visit “testifies to the excellence of bilateral military cooperation, marked by pragmatism and respect for mutual interests.”
The Chief of Staff of the ANp also stressed that “taking into account that Algeria is invested with the mission of coordinator through a mandate from the African Union (AU), for the continental fight against terrorism and violent extremism, it continues its efforts aimed at contributing to the strengthening of common African action, in the field of the fight against the terrorist threat on all levels.”
“This mandate allowed him to launch several initiatives, such as the action plan for the African Union in the area of the fight against terrorism, the activation of the African Fund for the fight against terrorism, the establishment of an African list of persons and entities involved in terrorist acts and the implementation of an African arrest warrant,” he stressed.
Chanegriha reiterated Algeria’s commitment to supporting any African initiative and backing the efforts of the African Union bodies to enable the continent to meet the security challenges it faces.
“In this regard, I assure you of our full availability to consolidate our bilateral military cooperation, with a view to consulting more on the ways and means to be brought together to realistically achieve the security objectives of the continent in general and the North Africa region in particular,” the Army General further stressed.
For his part, the AFRICOM Commander expressed his “satisfaction with this visit to Algeria, which allowed him to examine with the High Command of the ANP the various security issues that arise on the regional and international scenes, highlighting the means of the two parties to develop bilateral military cooperation.”
Algeria is increasingly facing security challenges in the Maghreb due to the active presence of Israel with neighboring Morocco threatening the region with instability while insecurity persists in the Sahel, particularly in Mali where the Malian army is intensifying its operations in localities close to the Algerian borders against armed groups who are, in turn, continuing their attacks.
At least 26 people were killed in an attack by a terrorist group on a village in the central region of Mali, near the border with Burkina Faso, a Malian government official said on Tuesday.
Libya is also a source of concern for Algeria, which has joined its efforts with those of the international community, including the United States, for a peaceful settlement in this country since the Berlin summit in January 2020, which President Tebboune attended.