Bosnia - Algeria business ties

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Signature à Alger de deux accords avec la Bosnie

Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina sign non-double taxation accord

February 9, 2009 -- Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci and his Bosnia-Herzegovina counterpart Sven Alkalaj signed an agreement on non-double taxation Sunday (February 8th) in Algiers, APS reported. Several other accords are expected to be signed in coming weeks, Medelci told reporters.

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Meetings conducted by Minister Alkalaj during the official visit to the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

February 12, 2009 -- During an official visit to the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria by a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH (headed by Minister Alkalaj), the diplomacy chiefs of BiH and Algeria, Sven Alkalaj and Mourad Medelci, signed an Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation between BiH and Algeria as well as a Memorandum of Cooperation between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs. These are the first bilateral agreements ever concluded between BiH and Algeria and they represent a starting point for the legal regulation of relations between the countries.

BiH's and Algeria's diplomacy chiefs also agreed to intensify negotiation on concluding other agreements initialized by the two sides, primarily those in the economic sphere that would further regulate the legal framework for cooperation in this area.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Algeria conducted three working meetings during the course of this visit. This confirms the importance ascribed to the visit by both sides and their commitment to establishing and improving relations in all areas, but particularly economic relations.

The countries' overall bilateral and multilateral activities, their mutual relations on both of these levels and views on current events in the world were also touched upon in talks held by the two delegations, during which many questions of mutual desire and interest were discussed.

During talks with his Algerian counterpart and in meetings with other officials and businessmen from Algeria, Minister Alkalaj underlined Bosnia and Herzegovina's intention to improve cooperation with Algeria. This was received with great interest by all his interlocutors. He particularly stressed the importance of establishing closer ties between business spheres, to which the diplomacies of both countries have given significant encouragement with this visit as well. In his address to the Algerian delegation, Minister Alkalaj emphasized the potentials of BiH's economy and its compatibility with that of Algeria. He also emphasized cooperation in the sectors of energy, engineering, pharmaceuticals, strategic infrastructure projects, tourism and the agricultural and food industries.

The Algerian market, unaffected by the current world financial and economic crisis, is very much of interest to BiH companies, particularly those which have gained experience in the African market, as in the next four year some 200 billion U.S. dollars are expected to be invested there. Both sides assessed that there is a realistic chance for BiH companies to obtain new contracts, primarily in the energy and engineering sectors. It was also assessed that the visit made last year by a group of businessmen from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Algeria served as an impulse for learning about the possibilities of these two economies, establishing direct contacts between businesses and initiating the closing of business deals. Therefore, it was concluded that such meetings between businessmen should be encouraged in the future. In order to improve economic cooperation, Minister Alkalaj, among other things, also initiated negotiations on visa facilitation for businessmen from the two countries.

After acquainting his counterpart with the political situation in Algeria, relations with its neighbors, and his country's views on current events in the world, Minister Medelci showed great interest for the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the relations and cooperation between the Western Balkans countries as well as our country's foreign policy priorities and stance on crisis situations in the world, our position on the current situation in Gaza in particular.

Minister Alkalaj informed his interlocutor that the political and security situation in BiH is very good, that necessary reforms are being undertaken while international commitments and appointed tasks are being met with the aim of progressing towards full-fledged EU and NATO membership, which represent our country's foreign policy priorities. He also informed Minister Medelci of developments relating to our candidature for nonpermanent membership of the UN Security Council. He emphasized good relations with our neighboring countries and cooperation, both bilateral and through regional initiatives, particularly within the Regional Cooperation Council based in Sarajevo, underlining that our neighboring countries are BiH's biggest trade partners.

In terms of crisis situations in the world, primarily the situation in the Gaza Strip, Minister Alkalaj stated that BiH has provided full assistance to nationals who had found themselves in the crisis areas at the time and that humanitarian aid in the form of food, medical equipment, medicine, and clothing is being sent to the population of Gaza. He emphasized that our country's position is clear – namely, that this matter can be resolved only through negotiations and peaceful means. The interlocutors both welcomed the engagement of important factors of the international community in resolving this matter and establishing a sustainable peace.

Minister Alkalaj invited his Algerian counterpart to make a return visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which Minister Medelci gladly accepted.

During its visit to Algeria, the delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH also met with the highest representatives of Algeria's most important energy and pharmaceutical companies in order to encourage cooperation with firms from Bosnia and Herzegovina operating in the same branches.

The visit made by the delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH, led by Minister Alkalaj, has great significance for overall relations between these friendly countries and represents an impulse for further cooperation. The crowning event of this visit was Minister Alkalaj's meeting with President Bouteflik, who voiced his satisfaction at this first visit by a high official from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Algeria and gave his personal support to the development of overall relations between the two countries.

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Alors que Ghoul veut limiter le recours aux partenaires étrangers :
Medelci invite les sociétés bosniennes à participer aux projets publics en Algérie

Lundi 20 Décembre 2010 -- Deux ministres, un même dossier et deux positions contradictoires exprimées à 24 heures d’intervalle. Dimanche, Amar Ghoul, ministre des travaux publics, a annoncé une limitation du recours aux partenaires étrangers dans la réalisation des projets de son secteur. «Le recours aux partenaires étrangers sera exceptionnel. Nous avons démarré le projet de l’autoroute Est-Ouest avec 30 ingénieurs algériens. Aujourd’hui, nous avons 5.000 ingénieurs, cadres et techniciens dans les grandes infrastructures», a-t-il dit en en marge d’un débat au Conseil de la nation sur la déclaration de politique générale du gouvernement Ouyahia. Cette décision serait le résultat de la nouvelle politique de patriotisme économique du gouvernement. Mais, en visite en Bosnie, Mourad Medelci, ministre des Affaires étrangères, a une autre vision des choses. Lundi, il a lancé un appel aux sociétés bosniennes pour participer davantage au programme quinquennal d'investissements publics qui s'élève à plus de 280 milliards de dollars. «Nous sommes venus ici pour inviter les entreprises (bosniennes) à être plus nombreuses encore chez nous», a déclaré le ministre des Affaires étrangères à l'issue d'une rencontre à Sarajevo avec son homologue bosnien, Sven Alkalaj. «Nous souhaitons de tout cœur que le volume des échanges, qu'il s'agisse des échanges commerciaux, de la participations aux appels d'offres du gouvernement algérien, ou bien des investissements directs d'entreprises (bosniennes) en Algérie, puissent bientôt atteindre un milliard de dollars et plus», a ajouté le ministre algérien. Une conférence devant rassembler des compagnies bosniennes et algériennes sera organisée «dans les prochains mois», pour les inciter à fonder des sociétés communes afin de mieux profiter du plan d'investissements. «Nous avons identifié les secteurs et les domaines dans lesquels la Bosnie et l'Algérie peuvent faire beaucoup en termes de projets communs (...)», a déclaré M. Alkalaj, précisant qu'il s'agit notamment de l'énergie, des industries du bois ainsi que du domaine pharmaceutique et alimentaire.

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أعلن عنها وزير خارجيتها سفان ألكالاج
زيارة لبوتفليقة إلى البوسنة في 2011

أعلن، أمس، وزير الخارجية البوسني عن برمجة زيارة للرئيس عبد العزيز بوتفليقة إلى البوسنة في غضون .2011 جاء ذلك على هامش زيارة يقوم بها وزير الخارجية الجزائري مراد مدلسي إلى البوسنة. وبهذه المناسبة أعلن مدلسي عن تنظيم لقاء يجمع رجال أعمال البلدين في الأسابيع المقبلة لبحث فرص التعاون والشراكة. كما دعا وزير الخارجية الشركات البوسنية إلى الاستثمار في الجزائر لما تتوفر عليه السوق الوطنية من إمكانيات كبيرة وفرص هامة للاستثمار، خصوصا مع إطلاق الجزائر لمخطط استثماري ضخم رصدت له قرابة 300 مليار دولار.