South Africa Highlights Algeria’s Connectivity Project Leadership
Azouz Naceri, President of the Council of the Nation, representing President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, participated in the Eighth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union and Regional Economic Communities in El Alamein, Egypt. During this meeting, African nations commended Algeria's effective commitment and active role in strengthening continental integration, specifically acknowledging its contributions to institutional development and the activation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
The coordination meeting brought together African leaders, members of the African Union Bureau for the current year, and heads of African regional economic communities and mechanisms. Discussions included progress on the African Union's 2026 main theme, focused on ensuring sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems for Agenda 2063 goals. Furthermore, the deliberations covered updates on continental efforts aimed at enhancing coordination and integration among regional economic communities in Africa, advancing institutional development pathways for the African Union, and operationalizing the continental Free Trade Agreement.
Complementing this recognition, South Africa particularly praised Algeria's efforts as a prominent founding member of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) since its inception. Ronald Lamola, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, speaking at the NEPAD founding states summit in El Alamein, valued the progress made on strategic projects designed to boost connectivity and integration across the continent. He specifically highlighted the Trans-Saharan Road project, which aims to enhance links between North Africa and the Sahel and West Africa, facilitating movement of people and goods, supporting trade, and fostering economic integration among African nations. Minister Lamola also acknowledged the fiber optic connectivity project, underscoring its role in providing modern telecommunications infrastructure, improving digital services, ensuring seamless data flow, reducing the digital divide, and supporting the digital economy in pursuit of desired continental integration.
