Algerian FM Ramtane Lamamra

Foreign Minister, Ramtane Lamamra, will pay on 29 -30 September, an official visit to Canada, at the invitation of his Canadian counterpart, John Baird, the Foreign Ministry announced Saturday in a release.
Lamamra’s visit to Canada follows the one paid by John Baird to Algeria, last 15- 16 September 2013.
It falls as part of the "continuation of the two parties of their consultations aiming for the reinforcement and the development of the bilateral relations- which are in fact excellent-, and for combining efforts for a better cooperation in the international common-interest issues," the same source said.
"Both countries’ officials work together with their partners at the UN in order to contribute to reinforcing peace and development dynamics all over the world," the release added.
Algeria and Canada belong to the Global Counterterrorism Forum and co-chair the working group for Capacity Building in the Sahel region.
Trade between the two countries totaled in 2013, 3.5 billion dollars (3.1 billion of exports and 300 million of imports). "Hydrocarbons represent 99% of this trade," the same source indicated.
Thus, "the two countries share willingness to establish necessary mechanisms to diversify this trade and forge a partnership enabling the Canadian operators to take advantage from investment potentials in Algeria," the source said.
The stake is also to associate the national operators in the implementation of the national economic policy and benefit from the transfer of the technology and know-how of the Canadian operators.
Moreover, Lamamra will have intense activities during his stay in Canada.
Besides talks with his Canadian counterpart, John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs will meet with Canadian Minister for International Development, Minister for La Francophonie, Christian Paradis, Speaker of the House of Commons, Andrew Scheer and members of the Association of Canada-Africa Parliamentary Friendship.
Lamamra will also receive at Algeria Embassy in Ottawa and at the Consulate General in Montreal, members of the Algerian community living in Canada to "inquire about the issues of our national community in this country and their relations with the mother country, Algeria, "said the Foreign Ministry.