Tebboune, Erdogan Discuss Libya Crisis, Bolstering Relations

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune (R) speak as they review a military honor guard during the welcoming ceremony, in Ankara, on May 16, 2022. (AFP)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune (R) speak as they review a military honor guard during the welcoming ceremony, in Ankara, on May 16, 2022. (AFP)
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Tebboune, Erdogan Discuss Libya Crisis, Bolstering Relations

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune (R) speak as they review a military honor guard during the welcoming ceremony, in Ankara, on May 16, 2022. (AFP)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune (R) speak as they review a military honor guard during the welcoming ceremony, in Ankara, on May 16, 2022. (AFP)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks in Ankara on Monday with his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who had arrived on a three-day visit on Sunday.

Discussions focused on bolstering bilateral relations, especially in the energy, trade, agriculture and tourism fields.

They also tackled regional and international developments of interest, notably the crisis in Libya, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the war on Ukraine and its fallout.

Tebboune had arrived in Ankara at the head of a high-level delegation.

Turkey and Algeria signed a number of agreements aimed at bolstering cooperation and lifting the trade exchange to over 5 billion dollars.

They also discussed Turkish investments and projects in Algeria that are worth 20 billion dollars. Officials tackled means to raise mutual investments between their countries.

Tebboune will conclude his visit by attending the Turkish-Algerian investment and business forum in Istanbul.

The president met on Sunday with members of the Algerian diaspora in Ankara.

He stressed that relations between Ankara and Algiers were strong and that he was ready to elevate them to the highest levels.

This marked the first visit by an Algerian president to Turkey in 17 years.

Turkish Ambassador to Algeria, Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas described it as a "turning point" in relations.



Lebanon Joins Middle East Green Initiative

 Prime Minister Najib Mikati sits between Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan and Environment Minister Nasser Yassin during the announcement (Office of the Prime Minister)
 Prime Minister Najib Mikati sits between Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan and Environment Minister Nasser Yassin during the announcement (Office of the Prime Minister)
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Lebanon Joins Middle East Green Initiative

 Prime Minister Najib Mikati sits between Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan and Environment Minister Nasser Yassin during the announcement (Office of the Prime Minister)
 Prime Minister Najib Mikati sits between Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan and Environment Minister Nasser Yassin during the announcement (Office of the Prime Minister)

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister announced that the country has joined the Middle East Green Initiative, launched by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to mitigate the impact of climate change on the region.

“This is an essential step for Lebanon, especially since our southern villages and towns have been exposed to significant environmental and agricultural damage due to Israeli attacks, which requires cooperation with all of Lebanon's friends,” a statement released by the Lebanese Council of Ministers quoted Mikati as saying.

Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan welcomed Lebanon’s participation in the initiative, confirming that a high committee has been established to ensure the project’s sustainability and facilitate relevant cooperation.

He noted that the timing of the announcement “comes in light of the continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon, and this matter must be drawn to attention, especially since Israel is destroying very large areas, whether agricultural lands, fruit trees or forests.”

Environment Minister Nasser Yassin said that the Middle East Green Initiative has very important goals to plant 40 billion trees across the region and protect the Gulf and the Middle East from climate change, stop land degradation and desertification and find the means to adapt to future challenges.

The Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture estimates that more than 2.8 million square meters of forest and agricultural land were completely burned, while about 6.7 million square meters of agricultural and forest land were partially damaged as a result of Israel’s attacks and its use of internationally-banned incendiary munitions.