Algerian Radio
The Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad, and African Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Attaf, highlighted today, Tuesday, in Algiers, Algeria's firm conviction that Algerian-Chadian relations are poised to open unprecedented horizons and inaugurate a new phase in their history, in terms of “quality, pace, and substance,” based on the foundations of cooperation in all its dimensions and in light of the strong will that fuels their shared ambition.
During his speech at the fourth session of the Joint Algerian-Chadian Intergovernmental Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, which he co-chaired with the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Chadians Abroad, Mr. Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul. Mr. Attaf explained that this session “comes at a time when relations between the two countries are experiencing a renewed momentum and a remarkable dynamism.”
Mr. Attaf highlighted that this momentum and dynamism are “the creation of the leaders of our two countries, the President of the Republic of Algeria, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and the President of the Republic of Chad, Marshal Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, who have affirmed on more than one occasion a shared commitment aimed at achieving three primary objectives.”
He stated that these objectives consist of: first, surrounding Algerian-Chadian relations with the care, attention, and follow-up they deserve at all levels, including the highest; second, seeking to explore and activate the immense potential for cooperation and partnership between the two countries in all fields of mutual benefit; and third, working to strengthen traditions of consultation and coordination in facing the challenges imposed today across various shared spheres of belonging, primarily the Sahel-Saharan region in particular, and the African continent in general.
From this perspective, the Minister added, “our intergovernmental committee represents the ideal framework for translating this shared presidential will into practical programs and field projects that meet the level of ambition demonstrated by the leaders of our two countries, especially as we are preparing for a significant milestone: the official visit that His Excellency President Marshal Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno will pay to Algeria, at the invitation of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.”
He pointed out that “our ambition today primarily consists of elevating our economic relations to the distinguished level that has long characterized the political relations between our two countries,” adding: “Undoubtedly, the convening of the Algerian-Chadian Business Forum, in parallel with our committee meeting, will also contribute to paving the way toward realizing this shared ambition.”
The Minister of State said: “Algerian-Chadian relations draw their depth from our two countries' continuous endeavor to transform their shared neighborhood in the Sahel-Saharan region into an oasis of peace, security, development, and prosperity. They acquire their special character from our two countries' permanent alignment in the ranks of African unity and their firm adherence to the principles of solidarity, cooperation, and integration among the nations of our continent.”
He enumerated three primary dimensions for the foundations of cooperation, partnership, and integration between the two countries. The first dimension pertains to “trade exchanges and mutual investments, which must be increased in value and level, building upon the achievements recently realized, particularly the launch of the direct flight route between Algiers and N'Djamena.”
He pointed out that “this route has achieved remarkable success, to the point that it now covers four flights per week,” adding that “we must not lose sight of the immense opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to strengthen cooperation between our two countries and the rest of our brotherly African nations.”
The second dimension concerns “efforts to link infrastructure between our two brotherly countries, by accelerating the pace of structural projects initiated by Algeria, led by the Trans-Saharan Highway and its associated fiber-optic backbone. This project is expected to transform into a strategic economic corridor for joint development and to end the isolation of the Sahel-Saharan countries, particularly the Republic of Chad.”
As for the third dimension, Mr. Attaf continued, “it naturally concerns the sectoral cooperation between our two countries. I believe, in all sincerity and faithfulness, that the opportunities and potential for cooperation have become clear to both parties in numerous fields, particularly those related to energy, mining, agriculture, industry, transport, and infrastructure.”
To the same extent, the Minister of State emphasized that “we must continue to provide the necessary care to the human dimension in our bilateral relations, by strengthening cooperation in fields related to this strategic dimension, such as health, higher education, vocational training, executive training, as well as religious affairs.”
He affirmed that “Algeria will continue, with full commitment, to share its capabilities with its brothers by hosting Chadian students in its universities and institutes.”
For his part, the Chadian Minister of Foreign Affairs considered that “the seriousness and importance Algeria attaches to our bilateral relationship were clearly demonstrated by the convening of this session here in Algiers,” highlighting that this “carries numerous significances, some more symbolic than others.”
He explained that the convening of the fourth session of the committee on the eve of Marshal Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno's official visit to Algeria “is not merely a passing coincidence, but rather the symbol and culmination of a dynamism launched during the last meeting between the two Heads of State here in Algiers in September 2024.”
The Chadian Minister emphasized that the convening of this committee after several years “is not merely a formal diplomatic procedure, but rather an expressive signal of our shared ambition,” adding: “We meet today at a pivotal moment in our continent's history, a transformative moment in which our nations face unprecedented intensity of challenges, at a time when international geopolitical maps are being redrawn without Africa finding its rightful place.”
In this context, he pointed out that “the two countries possess the necessary materials to build a strong strategic relationship, based on our real integration, producing added value for our peoples, and enhancing our collective capacities to face security threats, economic shocks, and external pressures in a Saharan-Sahelian space characterized by instability, persistent security lapses, cross-border smuggling, and the impact of foreign interventions.”
