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Italy's Meloni to Sign Several Agreements in Algeria

Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra meets with US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison. (Algerian Foreign Ministry)
Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra meets with US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison. (Algerian Foreign Ministry)
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Italy's Meloni to Sign Several Agreements in Algeria

Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra meets with US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison. (Algerian Foreign Ministry)
Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra meets with US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison. (Algerian Foreign Ministry)

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Algeria on Sunday for a two-day visit to boost cooperation between the two countries.

Several agreements are set to be signed between them before she concludes her trip.

Algerian ambassador to Rome Abdelkrim Touahria said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero: "We want Italy to become a European hub for Algerian gas. A junction for other EU countries."

Algeria's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva announced on its Twitter account that Meloni's talks in Algeria will focus on energy, the mechanical industry, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and education.

Political sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the visit addressed important issues like the growing need for Algerian gas to compensate for the share of Russian gas.

Algeria replaced Russia as Italy's number one energy supplier, transporting natural gas by pipeline across the Mediterranean.

Last July, Algeria and Italy concluded a deal to supply an additional nine billion cubic meters of gas by 2023-2024, which Eni said was worth $4 billion.

The sources noted that Meloni addressed irregular migration from the southern Mediterranean to the coasts of Italy and sought Algeria's help to stop this phenomenon. Dozens of Algerians cross the sea every year to the Northern Mediterranean.

Separately, Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra received US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison.

They addressed bilateral relations and prospects for strengthening strategic dialogue and economic cooperation between Algeria and the United States. They discussed regional and international developments, and multilateral diplomacy.

No further details were provided about Sison’s visit.

The US State Department said on Friday Sison was set to travel to Algeria and Morocco on January 21-26 to discuss shared multilateral priorities across the UN system, including the importance of human rights as Morocco and Algeria join the UN Human Rights Council.

In her meetings, she would underscore US support for MINURSO and United Nations Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General Staffan de Mistura's efforts in leading the UN political process for the Western Sahara.

Algiers and Washington have several agreements covering various areas, including US investments in the oil fields in southern Algeria and security cooperation in combating terrorism in the Maghreb and the African coast.

Algeria had condemned a proposal by 27 members of the US Congress that called for "immediate" action to sanction the Algerian government for its involvement in the purchase of Russian arms.

The demand came in response to Algerian-Russian arrangements to sign an agreement to purchase Russian military equipment worth $11 billion.

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Arab World

Aoun Leading Efforts to Avert Shiite Boycott of New Lebanese Govt

A handout photo made available by the Lebanese Presidency Press Office shows Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (C) attending a meeting with Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, 14 January 2025. (Lebanese Presidency Press Office)
A handout photo made available by the Lebanese Presidency Press Office shows Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (C) attending a meeting with Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, 14 January 2025. (Lebanese Presidency Press Office)
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Aoun Leading Efforts to Avert Shiite Boycott of New Lebanese Govt

A handout photo made available by the Lebanese Presidency Press Office shows Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (C) attending a meeting with Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, 14 January 2025. (Lebanese Presidency Press Office)
A handout photo made available by the Lebanese Presidency Press Office shows Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (C) attending a meeting with Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, 14 January 2025. (Lebanese Presidency Press Office)

Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam arrived in Beirut on Tuesday to kick off parliamentary consultations to form a new government.

He assured that it will “not exclude anyone”, but seek “unity and partnership.”

Asharq Al-Awsat learned that President Joseph Aoun is leading efforts to avert a Shiite boycott of the new government after the “Shiite duo” of the Hezbollah and Amal movement, which is led by parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, refrained from naming Salam for the position of PM during Monday’s consultations.

Their abstention has raised fears that the new government will not be constitutional without the representation of the largest Shiite parties in the country.

Reports have said that the duo may boycott the parliamentary consultations to form a government that Salam will hold on Wednesday.

Sources said the duo may skip the first day of talks, which will conclude on Thursday, to demonstrate its “annoyance” with the developments.

Berri, however, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the “situation is not that negative”. He did not elaborate on the duo’s next steps.

Moreover, Asharq Al-Awsat learned that French President Macron had even intervened to avoid a dispute over the government, holding telephone talks with Aoun and Berri.

Salam’s appointment as prime minister came as a major shock given the large number of votes he won from the parliamentary blocs, compared to his predecessor Najib Mikati and against the will of the Shiite duo. In past years, Hezbollah has repeatedly blocked Salam from becoming prime minister.

Aoun stressed the need to “avoid placing obstacles in the government formation process.”

Aoun held a meeting with Salam at the presidential palace on Tuesday before later being joined by Berri, who left the palace without making a statement.

After the talks, Salam spoke before reporters to express his gratitude to parliament and the people for entrusting him with the “difficult task of serving Lebanon” and “achieving the people’s dreams.”

“It is time to open a new chapter that is rooted in justice, security, progress and opportunity, so that Lebanon can be a nation of free people who are equal under their rights,” he added.

On the possible boycott of the Shiite duo, he said he was against exclusion and on the contrary supported unity. “This is my sincere call, and my hands are extended to everyone,” he added.

The formation of a government in Lebanon often takes months due to political wrangling.

Aoun said on Tuesday that Lebanon has a “very major opportunity that we should all seize.”

He received a delegation from the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council.

“Obstacles must not be placed in the formation process,” he urged. “We must send positive signals to the international community that Lebanon can govern itself, carry out reconstruction transparently and build the state that we are all calling for.”

“If one segment of Lebanon is broken, then the whole country will break,” he stressed, saying Monday’s consultations to appoint Salam were a democratic process and that the public interest remains the top priority.

Aoun, who was elected last week, added that he has declined visits from well-wishers over his election “out of respect for the martyrs” who were killed during Israel’s war on Lebanon, which ended with a ceasefire in November.