Source : VietnamNews, 31/10/2009
Ambassador Naceur Boucherit talked to Viet Nam News on the occasion of Algeria’s National Day tomorrow.
This year Algeria will celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Algerian Revolution. What activities will take place in your country and in the embassy in Ha Noi?
As in past years, this anniversary – which is an important landmark in our history – is marked in the fervor and the memory of sacrifices made by the Algerian people for the advent of an independent Algeria. This opportunity is seized by Algeria to tap the ideals of the revolution and the spirit and lessons necessary to further the objectives of our national development.
The celebration of this anniversary in Viet Nam is a good opportunity for me to reiterate the mutual and multifaceted support that Algeria and Viet Nam granted each other when they were battling for their respective national independence. This solidarity continues today with the shared belief in strengthening the ideals of peace and justice in the world and promoting co-operation to ensure the right of all people on the planet to development.
In addition to the official reception, the Embassy organised, this year, in collaboration with the Association of Algeria-Viet Nam Friendship, an exhibition of drawings by Vietnamese students of the Algeria-Viet Nam Friendship School. With their imagination and artistic talent – often hidden – these students expressed – with their own perception of young children – the friendship between the people of Algeria and Viet Nam.
I recall that this contest was organised last May with the participation of about 1,400 students. Over 120 drawings were recognised and the top 60 were displayed on Wednesday at the auditorium of Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations’ headquarters on the occasion of the celebration of the 55th anniversary of National Day of Algeria by the union. This exhibition will be shown on November 2nd at Melia Ha Noi Hotel on the occasion of the official reception of the National Day of Algeria.
You are leaving Viet Nam after five years of working in the country. What are the major achievements in bilateral relations between Viet Nam and Algeria that you feel most personally pleased with during your term here?
I think it would be tedious to list all actions initiated by the embassy in recent years to strengthen bilateral relations with Viet Nam. However, I would note, in political terms, the visit to Algeria, in November 2004, of the Prime Minister of Viet Nam, in 2005, the respective visits of national assembly heads of both countries to Viet Nam and Algeria, the visit of Chief of Staff of the Algerian Army, the Chief of Political Department of the Vietnamese Army in 2008 and the organisation of a session of political consultations in Algiers between the two ministries of foreign affairs in 2006. In economic terms, I also want to recall the finalisation and signing in Ha Noi in May 2005 of the Protocol’s overall comprehensive treatment of the debt of Viet Nam to Algeria, the two sessions of the Bilateral Commission of Co-operation in 2006 in Algiers and in 2008 in Ha Noi, the first time visit to Viet Nam of a delegation of Algerian private and public businessmen in 2009, the visit to Algeria of the Vietnamese delegation led by the Vice Minister of Housing and the Vice Minister of Commerce accompanied by a group of businessmen to attend the International Fair of Algiers and a trade promotion seminar with Algerian companies. The Embassy has continually contributed to the common effort of the two countries in order to induce and accompany Vietnamese and Algerian enterprises through the exchange stream consolidation and the initiation of actions of partnership and investment. Furthermore, I have to emphasise that important visits of senior leaders of both countries are expected in 2010 including the visit of the President of the Algerian National Assembly.
The relationship between the two countries has started an important and qualitative stage in the strengthening of the ancient and sincere friendship and will expand the bases of economic co-operation between Algeria and Viet Nam.
In another interview with the Vietnam News Agency, you said that Algerian enterprises had an interest in co-operating with Vietnamese partners in the construction sector, apart from traditional co-operative fields like oil and gas. How have the potential fields for co-operation in this field been exploited? And are there any further activities planned in coming time?
At the current level of bilateral relations it can be seen that all the sectors are eligible for co-operation, especially when there are huge opportunities offered by the potential economies of the two countries. In recent years, both countries experienced very convincing results in the co-operative sector of oil and energy. Oil companies from both countries proceeded in August 2009 to the creation of an Algerian-Vietnamese joint group in the field of oil which will soon enter the operational phase. Based on these encouraging results, Petro Vietnam aims to strengthen its presence in our country and to expand its activities.
The two countries are working to expand this successful example of co-operation to other sectors where there is mutual interest including the construction and public works. In this sector Algeria has launched recently a new program of the President of the Republic on the achievement of 1 million units for the period 2010-14 and many other projects of basic infrastructure. In this context, Vietnamese enterprises which participated in the past in several projects in Algeria are encouraged to return there either acting on their own account or as a joint venture with Algerian companies, public or private or subcontract with companies present in the Algerian market, as they can also provide construction materials for this huge construction project in Algeria. I would like to recall that Algeria will complete the 1,216-km east-west highway next year and has already achieved the housing programme goals for 2004-09.
Agriculture and fisheries are also untapped potential fields for co-operation and the two governments. Does the embassy have any plan to foster agricultural co-operation?
The ratification of the Agreement of Agracultural Co-operation signed by Algeria initiates a new area of prospection which can lead to intensive co-operation, particularly in the field of plant protection and quarantine, veterinary health as well as in the field of fisheries and aquaculture.
During the last session of the Joint Co-operation Committee held in Ha Noi in June 2008, the two countries agreed to explore possibilities for promoting co-operation in the field of agriculture through the conclusion of partnership of economic operators and the implementation of a proposed tripartite partnership with a third African country.
Moreover, Algeria reiterated its will to promote co-operation and trade in fisheries and get benefit from the experience of Viet Nam in this field.
As I noted earlier, co-operation between the two countries does not exclude any sector. I am pleased, in this context, to announce that both countries are examining more than a dozen bilateral agreements that could be finalised in the short term. Thus it will certainly strengthen the legal framework in the relations between
Viet Nam and Algeria have agreed to hold cultural exchanges from 2008-10 to create a co-operation environment. What activities had been launched and what will be carried out next year?
In order to strengthen friendly relations between the two countries and promote the co-operation in the field of culture, Viet Nam and Algeria signed, in June 24, 2008, a cultural exchange programme for the 2008-10 period. They plan to exchange artistic groups to participate in international cultural festivals held in Algeria and Viet Nam, to organise film weeks, exhibitions of visual arts, fine arts and painting. Furthermore, the Embassy participates in various cultural activities in Viet Nam on the occasion of the Year of Culture Diplomacy, the celebration of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long and provincial economic and cultural development projects. — VNS
