Русский
A Russian State Duma delegation led by its Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin has arrived in Algeria for a working visit, with Volodin having negotiations with Algerian National Assembly President Ibrahim Boughali. Algeria has recently expressed interest in joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as well as the BRICS group. Algeria is the world’s fifth largest gas, and Africa’s third largest oil producer.
Bilateral trade between Russia and Algeria more than doubled in 2023, Volodin stated at the meetings, saying that “Bilateral trade increased 2.2 times to US$3.765 billion in 2023, which was a considerable growth of our external economic relations. It is also highly important to develop ties between the two countries’ parliaments. They are not currently at the level we’d like them to be. This is the first conversation and the first exchange of views between the parliaments since 2015.”
The sides also “agreed to establish a high-level commission that will discuss the development of relations as part of parliamentary-level processes to resolve specific issues in order to secure required diplomatic and trade results,” Volodin said. “It is important for both Russia and Algeria.” he said.
Russia has been making diplomatic, trade and security advances in Africa since Africa’s European colonial relations have soured. Algeria was previously a French colony, while Moscow is being increasingly being seen as a less disruptive trade partner than Paris.
New thinking about African nations destiny has been growing in recent years as the continent has agreed numerous continental agreements in trade and mutual assistance, without European influence and nations are more willing to express sovereignty and seek more sustainable development partners.
Further Reading
Russia-Algeria 2024 Trade & Development Dynamics
Russia’s trade with Algeria is extensively covered in our 2024 Russia’s Pivot To Asia guide, which is a complimentary download. It can be accessed in English here and in Russian here.
