Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez visits Algeria to revive friendship treaty, discuss gas, and green hydrogen
via Algérie3604 min read
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez made a brief official visit to Algiers, his first since October 2020, to engage in high-level discussions with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and the Prime Minister. The visit focused on reactivating the 2002 friendship, good neighborliness, and cooperation treaty, which was frozen in 2022 following a diplomatic crisis over Spain's stance on Western Sahara. Energy was a key agenda item, with Spain seeking to secure natural gas supplies from Algeria via the Medgaz pipeline and exploring future cooperation in green hydrogen. The Spanish delegation included the Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, along with leaders from major energy companies like Naturgy, Repsol, Enagás, and Moeve. A joint Algerian-Spanish business forum was also held to boost economic ties, which suffered significantly after the 2022 rupture, with Spanish exports to Algeria plummeting from 1.9 billion euros in 2021 to 332 million in 2023. Discussions also covered regional issues such as the situation in the Sahel-Saharan zone, security coordination, and irregular migration, particularly concerning the Canary Islands. The visit marks the culmination of a gradual diplomatic thaw between the two nations, aiming to restore their strategic partnership to pre-crisis levels.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Algérie360.
Must ReadAlgerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez held a joint press conference in Algiers on Monday, July 20, 2026, following their summit talks. This official visit marks a renewed strategic dynamic between the two Mediterranean countries. Sánchez began by offering condolences from the Spanish government and people for the tragic fire at the Mohammadia orphanage, noting Spain's own struggles with severe wildfires. President Tebboune expressed satisfaction with the discussions, calling Sánchez's visit an "essential milestone" for preparing the 8th session of the Algerian-Spanish High-Level Summit in October. Sánchez affirmed that Algeria is not just a neighbor but a "strategic partner and a dear friend," building on the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness, and Cooperation. Discussions covered energy security, with Tebboune reaffirming Algeria's commitment as a reliable European supplier and advocating for renewable energy expansion. Sánchez highlighted Algeria as Spain's primary natural gas supplier in 2026. On judicial cooperation, Tebboune sought accelerated execution of requests for recovering ill-gotten gains, commending Spain's responsiveness. Both leaders agreed to enhance concerted monitoring in combating transnational organized crime, human trafficking, and managing mobility. Economically, Tebboune urged Spain to lead efforts within the European Union to rebalance Euro-Algerian trade and reactivate the Algeria-EU Association Counc
Must ReadThe United States Embassy in Algeria has announced the official opening of a subsidiary office for the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI legal attaché within its headquarters in Algiers. This new office aims to boost bilateral security and judicial cooperation between the two countries. The diplomatic mission described the event as a significant milestone, highlighting the strength of the US-Algeria partnership in law enforcement. While specific details on the immediate scope of the office's activities were not disclosed, such subsidiary offices, known as FBI Legal Attaché Suboffices, serve as extensions of the FBI's international network. They operate from US embassies to facilitate dialogue with host country security forces. These offices are led by a legal attaché, who officially represents the FBI Director abroad, and are staffed by experienced special agents. The FBI emphasizes that these officials do not engage in espionage or foreign counter-espionage. Their role is strictly confined to legal police and judicial cooperation. Their primary missions include coordinating transnational investigations, processing mutual legal assistance requests, sharing criminal and operational intelligence related to terrorism and organized crime, organizing training programs for local police forces, and managing information flow concerning emerging threats like cybercrime and cross-border organized crime. The FBI's prerogatives abroad are strictly governed by US federal laws and are en
Malaysian automaker Proton is in strategic discussions to establish a presence in Algeria, potentially assembling vehicles in an existing factory in Oran with a production capacity of 20,000 units per year. This initiative follows a meeting involving the Malaysian Ambassador, officials from DRB-HICOM, Proton, and Modenas, as well as the director of the Automobile Plant Algeria in Oran. The Algerian automotive market is estimated at nearly 1.2 million vehicles annually, attracting increasing interest from foreign manufacturers. Noura Mohamed, director of Automotive Plant Algeria, proposed making an existing plant available to DRB-Hicom for Proton's assembly operations. Oran was chosen due to its established automotive infrastructure. DRB-Hicom has initiated a study to assess the necessary investments and technologies. Additionally, Modenas, a Malaysian group, plans to strengthen its presence in Algeria by manufacturing motorcycle chassis, viewing Algeria as a regional hub for access to African, European, and Arab markets. This dual initiative highlights growing Malaysian investment interest in Algeria, coinciding with other major industrial projects like Opel's plan to produce engines in the country.