Algiers – Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of African Affairs, Salma Bekhta Mansouri, is participating in the 22nd session of the Foreign Ministers of Africa and Northern European countries, held on October 2–3, 2025, in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, under the theme: “Innovation for Impact: Harnessing Technology and Cooperation for Future-Ready Societies,” according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Community Abroad, and African Affairs.
This high-level meeting, the statement underlined, provides a platform to strengthen dialogue between Africa and Northern Europe on issues of peace, security, investment, trade exchanges, entrepreneurship, and the role of innovative youth. It is worth recalling that Algeria hosted the 20th edition of this ministerial meeting in 2023, a testimony to its central diplomatic role in Africa.
During her address at the Young Innovators Forum, Mrs. Mansouri stressed that Africa’s true strength lies in its youth, highlighting Algeria’s model based on free education at all levels. She further emphasized that investment in education must be backed by supportive policies and innovative financing mechanisms that allow young people access to the job market and help them transform their ideas into productive ventures.
In this regard, she recalled President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s announcement during the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2025) concerning the creation of an African fund to support start-ups and young entrepreneurs. This initiative, she noted, reflects Algeria’s commitment to offering concrete opportunities for African youth to turn their innovative visions into scalable projects.
Mrs. Mansouri also underlined the strategic importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), describing it as a powerful instrument that opens markets to young Africans and provides the means to expand their projects across the continent, turning creativity into industries capable of driving real transformation.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Mrs. Mansouri held a bilateral session with Zimbabwe’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ammon Murwira. Both parties discussed recent developments in bilateral relations and explored ways to strengthen cooperation across multiple fields, reaffirming the historic solidarity and partnership between Algeria and Zimbabwe, two nations united by their unwavering support for Africa’s right to self-determination, including the just cause of Western Sahara against Moroccan occupation.
