APS : Saturday, 13 January 2018
ALGIERS- Trade Minister Mohamed Benmeradi paid a working visit to Bamako (Mali) on Saturday, at the head of an official delegation and 89 economic operators participating in the 12″ Edition of Bamako International
Trade Fair and Exhibition – FEBAK 2017, which runs from 13 to 29 January, said a statement from the ministry.
Algeria is guest of honour at this economic event, inaugurated by President Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, said the same source.
Upon his arrival in Mali, Benmeradi and his Malian counterpart reviewed the economic and trade relations between the two countries and “ways and means to intensify trade,” said the document.
In this regard, Benmeradi insisted on “the need to heighten the current level of economic relations to the level of political relations”.
Subsequently, the Minister and the delegation accompanying him attended the opening of the General Assembly of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of West Africa (ECOWAS), which represents a market of 300 millions of consumers.
Later, Benmeradi, accompanied by his Malian counterpart, was received by Malian Prime Minister, Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, as well as by Malian Foreign Minister Tièman Hubert Coulibaly.
During these meetings, Benmeradi, referring to the quality of the political and historical relations linking the two countries, expressed Algeria’s “firm” desire “to intensify and strengthen” the commercial and economic relations, which remain the foundation for the development of the two countries’ populations.
Later in the afternoon, the minister has been received by President of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, to whom he transmitted a message of friendship from President of the Republic, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and the “excellence” of the Algerian-Malian relations, recalling “Algeria’s commitment to strengthen this relation,” concluded the statement.
