ROME: Algeria’s president will pay a state visit to Italy at the end of May, the latter’s Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Benedetto Della Vedova announced at an event attended by Arab News during the inaugural ceremony of the International Book Fair in Algiers.
“Relations between Italy and Algeria are very, very good, as witnessed by last November’s visit of the Italian president to Algiers,” said Della Vedova.
“Now I can confirm that Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has accepted the invitation of President Sergio Mattarella to come on a state visit to Italy at the end of May.”
Della Vedova said a session of the Italian-Algerian Strategic Dialogue will be held next week in Rome, with a large Algerian delegation in attendance.
“Cooperation on security, justice, economy, protection of the environment, science, culture, and of course energy” will be the main issues of the session, he added.
Della Vedova stressed the need for the two countries to work closer together in the energy sector “to decrease the effects of the current emergency due to the Ukrainian crisis,” and as part of “an evolution of win-win cooperation between Italy and Algeria.”
Every form of cooperation based on the historical relationship between the two countries “has to be nurtured and increased,” he said. “The Algerian authorities see Italy as an ideal partner in so many fields.”
Della Vedova took part with Algerian Culture Minister Souraya Mouloudji at the inauguration of the International Book Fair, where Italy is the guest of honor.
“Italy is very grateful to the Algerian government for this honor,” said Della Vedova, adding that the resumption of the fair after a two-year hiatus doe to the coronavirus pandemic is “a sign of new life which Italy is pleased to be part of.”
