Algeria and China have signed the second five-year comprehensive strategic cooperation plan 2022-2026, Algeria’s ministry of foreign affairs and national community abroad said Tuesday in a statement.
This comes one day after the Algerian government submitted an official request to join the political and economic BRICS group that includes Russia and China.
Observers see that this step indicates that Algeria aims to reinforce its choice of allies.
The statement said the pact was signed by Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi
According to the ministry, the plan aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation in different fields, including economy, industry, energy, space, and culture.
“The two sides intend to take the opportunity to implement this five-year plan to deepen practical cooperation between them in all fields, ensure the continuous enrichment of the elements of the comprehensive strategic bilateral partnership, and bring benefits to both friendly countries and peoples”, the statement read.
Both countries launched the first cooperation plan on 7 June 2017, and it was the first of its kind experience for China with an Arab state.
Foreign Ministry official Leyla Zarruki said that Algeria has officially requested to join the BRICS economic group.
Sputnik reported that Moscow welcomed Algeria's intention to join the BRICS, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on Tuesday.
"Of course, we welcome the desire of our partners and like-minded people to join the work of such formats as BRICS, SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organization]. We have a trust-based dialogue with Algeria, it is being maintained," Bogdanov said.
BRICS, an emerging-market group that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, represents approximately 40 percent of the global population and accounts for about 25 percent of the global economy.
Faysal Izdarin, an Algerian researcher in political sociology residing in France, confirmed that Algeria would benefit from joining BRICS and will acquire the required support as part of its plan to diversify the economy and explore investment opportunities.
