In response to the article “EU’s energy hopes for Algeria tied to leadership change” (August 18), I would like to clarify a few points for your readers.
The stable relationship Algeria maintains with the European Union on energy issues is eminently strategic, and stands above incongruent, subjective assumptions made by a European source said to be familiar with the subject and who, of course, preferred the comfort of anonymity.
Casting aside these specious incongruities, as well as the ridiculous possibility that Algeria could find itself under the thumb of ISIL or Al Qaeda, I can assure you that the Algerian government does its utmost to negotiate the best interests of the Algerian people in the framework of a strong relationship with the EU based on a balance of interests. Algeria contributes substantially to the security of the EU’s energy supply in exchange for a guarantee of Algeria’s shares in the market and the profitability of the heavy investments Algeria has made.
The reliability of the EU-Algeria energy partnership has developed considerably since the signing of the July 2013 memorandum and is characterized by the intensity and regularity of high-level exchanges. These have been mutually satisfactory, as evidenced by the remarks of prominent officials confirming the success of the Algeria-European Union Business Forum on Energy, which brought together more than 500 European and Algerian businesses in the Algerian capital last May. In a more recent example of the depth and consistency of this cooperation, 18 Algerian energy experts traveled to Brussels in July to discuss with their European counterparts how best to consolidate this strategic relationship in the long term.
I would like to remind you of EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete’s latest statement, in which he called Algeria a “preferred partner for the European Union,” and said, “The strategic partnership between the two parties is a strong one, founded on mutual trust and common interests, and we wish to develop this relationship further.”
Amar Belani
Ambassador, Head of Mission (EU) of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
Brussels, Belgium