Relations between Algeria and Indonesia

| Algeria, Indonesia share historic ties |
Capital, Volume III, No. 30
November 12-25, 2001

Algeria celebrated its 47th Anniversary of the November First Revolution - marking the outbreak in 1954 of the struggle for national liberation - in Jakarta with its ambassador to Indonesia, Soufiane Mimouni, holding a cocktail party at the Meridien Hotel.

President Megawati Sukarnoputri took time out from her busy schedule to attend the full-packed occasion, which was also attended by several ministers, high officials and scores of Jakarta-based senior diplomats. Her presence attests to the close ties between Algeria and Indonesia as well as her personal relations with ambassador Mimouni, which go back even to before she was Vice-President.

Former President Abdurrahman Wahid, who came with his daughter, almost stole the show as he held court to foreign ambassadors and former officials wishing to listen to his reading of the latest domestic situation.

President Megawati Sukarnoputri was the guest of honor at the recent Algerian national day cocktail party hosted by Ambassador Soufiane Mimouni.

In his speech, Ambassador Mimouni said that "On that day, the National Liberation Front proclaimed the revolution and issued an appeal to Algerian calling them to take up arms to regain their freedom and dignity and to restore the sovereignty of the Algerian State."

"First November is therefore cherished because it symbolizes a major historic event in the life of the nation, a heroic struggle that led to the independence of the country on July 5th 1962. The celebration of this glorious event comes this year at a time when Algeria is embarked upon a vast scheme of national renewal, he added.

"Indeed, under the leadership of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the country is entering a new era of stability and development. It is consolidating civil concord, strengthening and deepening its democracy, restoring the people's confidence in the state and establishing firm foundation for an efficient, performing and competitive modern economy."

"Algeria and Indonesia share historical relations. The longstanding friendship between the two countries lies in their similar experiences of struggle for independence. Indonesian supported Algerians during their liberation war, a move that strengthened relations," Ambassador Mimouni told Capital last week.

"The two countries are bound by ties of faith and have forged close relations in the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Group of 15 where they share same positions on many issues," he added.

"On the economic field, Algeria and Indonesia have promoted close bilateral relations, with several bilateral agreements concluded. This legal framework will boost bilateral cooperation, widen its scope and increase significantly opportunities offered by the vast potentials of both countries. The positive results achieved so far remains below the potentials of the two countries and underscore the need to optimize opportunities of cooperation."

"In view of their longstanding friendship and their strong commitment to foster their relations, I remain confident that Algeria and Indonesia will succeed in taking the best of their respective potentials and in extending, diversifying and enhancing bilateral cooperation," he said.

"This will lead to a comprehensive cooperation which will meet the aspirations of their respective people."

One week after the cocktail party, Ambassador Mimouni held an exhibition of beautiful Algerian ceramic works at the Embassy in Kuningan. It is the second of its kind he has held this year, the first one being a photo expo on Algeria-RI relations that was opened by President Megawati.

In recent times Algeria undertook structural and institutional reforms aimed at laying the foundation of a new economic system. The legal framework has been reviewed and adapted to liberalize the economy and promote free enterprise. The reforms were strengthened by further measures aimed at accelerating the restructuring and privatization process of state corporations, modernizing the banking system and motivating private investments.

The efforts paid off, as today Algeria has gained back its stability and restored its audience. The economy is indeed growing with a balanced budget, as inflation has been checked at 2,2%. External debt has dropped to US$ 22.5 billion from US$ 32 billion in 1996, representing today only one fifth of export revenues.

The country posted its fifth straight year of growth (4.1%), with trade surplus of US$ 12 billion in the first half of 2001 while foreign reserves stand at US$ 17.7 billion, up from US$ 4.2 billion in 1996.

To build on these positive achievements, the government recently put in place an ambitious plan designed to bolster the economy. The plan, amounting to nearly US$ 8 billion of public funds over the next three years, aims at initiating a dynamic growth and creating employment.

Algeria is now set to finalize by the end of this year talks on a global partnership agreement with the European Union, and is preparing its entry to the World Trade Organization, reaffirming its ambition to become an important player in the world economy.

Algeria is indeed determined to ensure its successful integration in the global economy and to take advantage of the opportunities offered by globalization. To this end, it is resolved to adapt its economy to the new realities of the world. It has already liberalized the general framework of its economy and is offering foreign investors all the facilities to develop their activities.

The second largest economy in Africa, with a unique industrial and basic infrastructure in the region and a proven competitive manpower, Algeria represents a promising market. With its ideal geographic location and huge potential natural resources, the country offers new attractive perspectives for foreign investors.

The recent surge of foreign delegations in Algeria shows clearly that foreign partners and international financial institutions are interested in the Algerian market and the business opportunities it offers.

With a recovered political stability and an economy with an immense potential, Algeria is emerging again as an active player in regional and international scene. It is currently promoting the partnership for African renewal an initiative launched by President Bouteflika, President Mbeki of South Africa and President Obasanjo of Nigeria.

The initiative is based on the conviction that Africa must rely first of all on itself to settle any and all of its problems and that a genuine partnership with the developed countries based on mutual interests and shared commitments would make a decisive contribution to the recovery of Africa.

It is also presiding over the Union of Maghreb Arab and undertaking efforts aimed at building this important regrouping which remains an absolute necessity with regard to the challenge of globalization. It is moreover initiating a promising dynamics for an Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.

In short, Algeria is recovering its place and vocation on the international scene and playing an active role in accordance with its history, its potentials and its strategic location.