Special Algeria-Korea Fund to Boost Exchanges

The following is a message from Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to commemorate the inauguration of the Korea-Arab Society in Seoul Monday. The message was delivered by Ahmed Ouyahia, former prime minister of the African country. ― ED.

It is with great pleasure that Algeria associates herself today with the launching of the Korea-Arab Society (KAS) that your friendly country has created to serve as a dialogue between our respective civilizations, enriching the important relations that Korea enjoys with the Arab World.

It is all the more significant, as the KAS is yet another achievement; your country having already, last year, opened an Arab-Muslim cultural center in the city of Incheon.

I highly praise the sustained interest of the great people of Korea, whose civilization is many millennia old, toward the Arab-Muslim civilization which has also taken, throughout the ages, a very significant part in the enrichment of universal civilization.

The peoples of the Arab-Muslim world are grateful to you for your display of consideration toward their culture, their civilization and also toward Islam, their religion, which is being subjected, in recent times, to libel campaigns.

By taking this exemplary choice, Korea is testifying that relations of exchange and cooperation between the different regions of the world have so much to gain from a mutual enrichment through learning more about their respective cultures and civilizations.

Algeria is actively working for the promotion of dialogue between cultures, civilizations and religions. She is convinced that such an input is more necessary than ever for respect between peoples and for the consolidation of international peace and security in the contemporary world threatened by the shock of civilizations.

Therefore, my country will spare no effort, and will invest with faith and conviction, toward the success of the KAS.

We, moreover, hope that this example will encourage the emergence of similar initiatives between the Muslim-Arab countries and other countries and regions throughout the world.

Since the signing of the joint Declaration for a Strategic Partnership in March 2006, our bilateral relations have registered remarkable progress.

Political dialogue between Algeria and Korea has been dense as numerous exchanges of delegations have taken place to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between our countries.

A few years ago, trade relations were very modest; last year they surpassed the threshold of $1 billion; this year the figure for the sole fist quarter is almost as high as the total figure for the whole of last year.

We are also grateful to our friend Korea for sharing with Algeria its development experience and know-how.

The many training sessions which were organized for hundreds of Algerian officials in several fields, and the Korean expertise which is supporting some of our projects in areas such as information technology, the construction of new cities, and the consolidation of our industry strategy are clear illustrations of the genuine cooperative spirit of our relations.

Algeria and Korea have henceforth to endeavor to promote the industrial partnership which affords multiple opportunities, because as peace has been restored thanks to the path of national reconciliation, my country is today resolutely undertaking the task of national reconstruction.

No doubt, the conclusion of the negotiations which are underway to set up an Algeria-Korea Fund dedicated to industrial cooperation will open the path to more dense and substantial exchanges between our two countries, for the good of our two peoples and the benefit of both our national economies.

I avail myself of this opportunity to renew our call to Korean enterprises and companies, renowned worldwide for their know-how, to engage more and more with Algeria, the gate of Africa, which offers an attractive environment for investment and partnership, to contribute to the industrial take-off presently underway in my country, as well as to strengthen their share in our market.

Thanks to our common political will, and efforts by our two states, Algeria and Korea have managed to overcome the obstacle of geographical distance to initiate a cooperation which is already sizable and most of all very promising.

In this era of free enterprise and democracy prevailing in our two countries, the knowledge of our respective civilizations, the KAS contribution, will undoubtedly facilitate to our two peoples a more direct involvement in the blossoming of their multifaceted exchanges.

This is my fervent hope and I also express my best wishes for success to the builders of the KAS, who, I am convinced, will rise to our expectations.