Algerian Radio
The President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and the Italian Prime Minister (President of the Council of Ministers), Giorgia Meloni, delivered a joint statement to the press on Wednesday, the contents of which are as follows:
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune first stated: "I am pleased to welcome once again our friend, Her Excellency Ms. Giorgia Meloni, President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, along with her accompanying delegation. I wish to express our deep gratitude for her commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership between our two friendly countries."
The Head of State added: "Your visit has allowed us to review the state of our bilateral relations. Together, we expressed our satisfaction with the progress made in the framework of bilateral cooperation in recent years." He continued, "We highlighted the strategic nature of our multidisciplinary partnership, particularly in the energy sector. In this regard, I want to emphasize Algeria's willingness to honor its commitments as a strategic and reliable partner to Italy and Europe in this field, given the challenges related to supply security and the stability of international oil and gas markets."
The President of the Republic further mentioned: "I also reiterate our commitment to deepening and expanding our cooperation in the fields of advanced technologies, startups, training, scientific research, renewable energy, green hydrogen, innovative agriculture, and food security."
He specified that, "With this in mind, and within the framework of the Mattei Plan for the African continent, I welcome the momentum behind the implementation of two joint projects under this plan: the cereal and legume production project in the wilaya of Timimoun, and the project to create the Enrico Mattei Algerian-Italian Center of Excellence, which has an African dimension and is dedicated to training, research, and innovation in the agricultural sector."
Abdelmadjid Tebboune: Strengthening All-Out Cooperation
President Tebboune then announced: "We agreed on this occasion to accelerate the steps toward creating the Algerian-Italian Chamber of Commerce, which will allow economic actors to exploit the vast potential and opportunities our two countries offer. We also emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation in the cultural, scientific, and humanitarian fields, to help consolidate bridges of communication and bring the Algerian and Italian peoples closer together."
He also clarified: "We further praised the efforts made by Algeria and Italy to enhance coordination in the fight against illegal immigration and human trafficking, as well as against terrorism, cross-border crime, and various security challenges in the Mediterranean region."
The Head of State added: "On the regional and international fronts, our talks allowed us to exchange views on a number of issues of mutual interest, where we noted a significant convergence in our positions on many files." He specified that regarding "the situation in the Middle East and its repercussions on international peace and security, we stressed the need to immediately end all forms of escalation and to prioritize dialogue, diplomacy, as well as respect for the sovereignty of States and the security of their peoples."
The President of the Republic did not fail to address the Palestinian issue, stating that he "reaffirmed my country's firm condemnation of the serious violations of international humanitarian law suffered by the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. We also stressed the need to intensify international efforts to reach a just and lasting solution that guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, first and foremost their right to establish an independent State in accordance with international community resolutions, thereby paving the way for a just and lasting peace in the region."
Regarding the African continent, the President of the Republic stated: "I reviewed with Her Excellency the Italian Prime Minister the main outcomes of the second Africa-Italy Conference, held last month in Addis Ababa. In this regard, we expressed our concern over the situation in the Sahel and our willingness to tackle the challenges related to the fight against terrorism and organized crime in this vital region for Africa and the Mediterranean basin."
Concerning the Libyan issue, the President of the Republic indicated: "We emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to find urgent solutions to bring Libya out of its deadlock, ensuring its unity and the sovereignty of the brotherly Libyan people over their territory. In this context," he added, "we reiterated our support for the efforts of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya."
Regarding the Western Sahara issue, the Head of State noted: "We reaffirmed the importance of reaching a just political solution that allows the Sahrawi people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination, in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions, as well as our support for the efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara."
Giorgia Meloni: 36,000 Hectares of Desert Land for Cereal and Legume Production
For her part, Ms. Giorgia Meloni first expressed her "sincere gratitude for the warm welcome extended to me and the entire Italian delegation. As you know, this is my second official visit to Algeria in less than four years," she recalled.
Ms. Meloni added: "My first visit was my first bilateral mission to a North African country, which demonstrates the importance we attach to our relations with Algeria, a partner of paramount strategic importance to Italy."
She continued, "The friendship that unites our two countries remains one of the most solid and exceptional relationships, particularly in an international context marked by growing instability and a decline in certainties. Italy and Algeria have supported each other on numerous occasions and have always been there for one another during difficult times."
She indicated that "during these years of collaboration with the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, we have ensured this friendship is strengthened even further," adding, "I believe the relations between our two countries have never been as solid and effective as they are today."
Ms. Meloni specified: "We are convinced that the cooperation between Italy and Algeria is increasingly becoming a model to follow. Our areas of cooperation are numerous and varied, with the energy sector at the forefront. As the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, mentioned, we have decided to strengthen our solid and lasting cooperation—a cooperation that also encompasses our two flagship national companies, Eni and Sonatrach—by exploring new prospects such as offshore exploration. This will, in the medium and long term, enhance gas supply flows from Algeria to Italy."
The Italian Prime Minister clarified that this cooperation between Algeria and Italy "is not limited to this aspect, but extends to other areas we have been working on for some time, notably the development of renewable energies and the construction of strategic infrastructure. These are projects that strengthen the capacity to link the two shores of the Mediterranean by promoting interconnectivity."
She added that, "Thanks to Transmed, known for the Mattei gas pipeline connecting Italy to Algeria, we are continuing this work within a broader vision. Energy is an opportunity and a tool to achieve common development, both for producing countries that leverage their resources to ensure prosperity, and for consuming countries that can rely on closer and more robust supply chains in the face of external shocks. This vision is at the heart of the activities and projects we are jointly undertaking under the Mattei Plan for Africa."
Ms. Meloni further indicated that "Algeria is one of our main partners. Today, the President and I evaluated the various projects we have launched, and we discussed the progress of the public-private initiative aimed at developing over 36,000 hectares of desert land for the production of cereals and legumes, and consequently, energy security. The project is advancing at a steady pace, as the 2026 planting campaign will see the area of desert land put into production increase from 7,000 to 13,000 hectares."
Regarding vocational training, Ms. Meloni specified: "We dwelt on the projects we are successfully carrying out to create a vocational training center in the agricultural sector, dedicated to the memory of Enrico Mattei."
