Algerian Radio
The Minister of State, Minister of Hydrocarbons, Mohamed Arkab, held talks on Thursday in Moscow with the Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Alexander Kozlov, focusing on strengthening bilateral cooperation, a ministry statement indicated.
This meeting, which is part of the preparations for the 13th session of the Algerian-Russian Joint Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Commercial, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation, took place in the presence of the Algerian Ambassador to Russia and the Russian Ambassador to Algeria. Also in attendance were the President of the National Agency for the Valorization of Hydrocarbon Resources (ALNAFT), Samir Bekhti, the President of the Hydrocarbon Regulatory Authority (ARH), Amine Remini, as well as several executives from both ministries and the Ministry of Mines and Mining Industries, the statement specified.
This meeting provided an opportunity to review the status and prospects of bilateral cooperation in the field of Mines and Mining Industries. Both parties highlighted the "solidity of Algerian-Russian relations" and the "shared will to strengthen economic and investment partnerships, particularly in high-value-added strategic sectors."
The talks also covered the prospects for cooperation and partnership between Algerian companies and their Russian counterparts across the various links in the mining sector's value chain, notably in research, exploration, exploitation, processing, and mining valorization. A specific focus was placed on strategic and critical minerals, as well as rare earths, given their growing importance in advanced technological industries and applications related to renewable energy.
Discussions also addressed ways and means to strengthen cooperation regarding the adoption of best practices related to sustainable development and the promotion of environmental standards in mining and industrial activities, in order to guarantee optimal and responsible exploitation of natural resources.
On this occasion, Mr. Arkab delivered a comprehensive presentation on Algeria's strategy for developing the mining sector. He highlighted the significant mining potential the country holds, as well as the major programs launched by the State to valorize these resources and turn them into a true lever for diversifying the national economy away from hydrocarbons.
The Minister of State reviewed the ongoing reforms aimed at improving the investment climate in the sector. These include the new legal framework governing mining activities, the development of geological infrastructure, the strengthening of research and prospecting programs, and the provision of geological data to investors, ensuring greater attractiveness for national and foreign investments in accordance with international standards.
To this end, Mr. Arkab highlighted the structural mining projects to which Algeria attaches particular importance. These include the integrated phosphate transfer project, the Gara Djebilet iron mine exploitation project, and the Oued Amizour zinc and lead exploitation project. These strategic projects are capable of supporting national industrialization, providing raw materials for manufacturing industries, reducing the import bill, and creating new jobs, particularly in the inland and southern regions.
Mr. Arkab also invited Russian companies and enterprises to seize the investment and partnership opportunities available in Algeria and to contribute to the development of major mining projects. This can be achieved through the establishment of mutually beneficial partnerships, technology transfer, the localization of industry, human resource training, and leveraging Russian experience in these fields.
For his part, the Russian minister expressed "his country's interest in strengthening cooperation in the mining field," praising "the vast potential of the Algerian mining sector and the reforms aimed at developing it."
He also reaffirmed the readiness of specialized Russian companies to expand their presence in Algeria and contribute to research, prospecting, exploitation, and processing projects for mineral resources.
