The procedure for appointing the new ambassador can sometimes take a long time and I have no information on the expected timetable. In the meantime, I look forward to continuing to work with the Algerian government and traveling to this wonderful country. I have already visited 43 wilayas and I hope to visit several more (Elizabeth Moore Aubin)
A few months before the end of her mission in Algeria, the Ambassador of the United States, Ms. Elizabeth Moore Aubin, returns, in this interview given to the Young Independent, to her visit to Algeria, the second in her career as a diplomat, on all-out bilateral cooperation between Algiers and Washington, on consultations on subjects in which the two countries are not always on the same wavelength. She took this opportunity to clarify the position of the American administration regarding the conflict in Western Sahara between Morocco and the Polisario Front. A position that remains consistent with the principles of the UN and supports the mission of the organization’s special envoy while also recalling that his country is contributing to a settlement of the conflict which is endorsed by the international community. To this end, the American diplomat underlines that Algeria is a major player in matters of security and stability in North Africa.
Ms. Elisabeth Moore Aubin: I am proud of the progress we have made to consolidate ties between the United States and Algeria. Together, we have strengthened the entrepreneurial skills of Algerians, boosted English-language training opportunities, and fostered an open and beneficial dialogue on regional security. On the economic front, we have explored and concluded various mutually beneficial agreements in several regions of Algeria.
The visits made to Algeria by the Secretary of State, the Assistant Secretary of State, the Commander of USAFRICOM as well and several assistant secretaries testify to the importance of relations between our two countries. With Algeria serving on the UN Security Council, Secretary Antony Blinken and Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf have consulted frequently on several regional and international issues and pledged to closely coordinate their diplomatic efforts for peace and security in the world. We continue to make progress in our common fight against terrorism. Besides. This year, we have also increased our training sessions and our discussions with security services.
If you have to choose a segment, on which level have relations between Algiers and Washington advanced the most?
Today, the United States and Algeria maintain stronger security, and economic and cultural ties than ever before. On the commercial front, trade increased from $1.2 billion in 2020 to $2.6 billion in 2021, then to more than $4 billion in 2022. More than 100 American companies are already established in Algeria, creating jobs and economic growth, not only in the oil and gas sectors, but also in the pharmaceutical, technology, telecommunications, renewable energy, defense, and agriculture sectors.
We are proud to cooperate with Algeria on a wide range of higher education and cultural initiatives, ranging from English as the language of instruction to projects aimed at advancing entrepreneurship and research skills, without forgetting the projects aimed at preserving the cultural heritage of Algeria.
In the security field, Algeria is a major player in the fight against terrorism and the promotion of stability in North Africa and the Sahel. We work closely with Algeria in the fight against terrorism and regional security so that we can learn from each other and strengthen our respective capabilities.
Numerous regional and international issues are the subject of diligent consultations between Algiers and Washington, notably the question of Western Sahara and the Sahel. The current administration that you represent seems less sharp on the question of Western Sahara than the previous one. And what assessment does Washington make of the situation in Niger and Mali?
We share the Algerian government’s concerns about the destabilizing presence of terrorist groups and non-state actors like the Wagner Group in the Sahel, and we agree on the importance of promoting security and prosperity in the region.
Concerning Mali, we regret the withdrawal of the transitional government from the Algiers Agreement, which, if fully implemented, would have brought more stability to all Malians and the entire region. We are concerned by the resumption of hostilities between the armed groups signatories to the Algiers Agreement and the transitional government.
Concerning Niger, we share Algeria’s objective of helping the country return to the path to democracy. We agree that good governance is the key to an effective fight against extremism and we welcome Algeria’s efforts to provide development assistance to the Sahelian states.
Regarding Western Sahara, the United States strongly supports the efforts of the personal envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General, Staffan de Mistura, to lead the UN political process for Western Sahara. The Administration’s priority is to support a credible political process leading to a solution to the conflict in Western Sahara that is lasting, dignified, and supported by the international community. We are also consulting privately with the parties, neighboring states, and international partners on how best to prevent further violence and achieve a lasting solution.
After Pizza Hut, we recently witnessed the opening in Algiers of a KFC franchise which does not seem to excite the Algerians or even provoke rejection due to the situation in the Palestinian territories. Wasn’t the timing bad to launch this franchise?
The United States-Algeria relationship demonstrates a shared vision of peace, security, and prosperity for the region. It is in this spirit that our two countries share the same goal for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Our relationship has expanded to foster inclusive economic development, improve opportunities for youth, and ensure access to American technology and expertise while promoting trade ties.
Because franchises advance all of these common economic goals, I was excited to see KFC open a restaurant in Algiers. Franchising provides a direct and valuable means of transferring international standards of quality and service to different markets to serve consumers and help create jobs and investments for people around the world. This is an excellent opportunity to enable equitable economic growth, whether it is American companies investing in Algeria or Algerian companies expanding internationally. I hope KFC succeeds here because it benefits Algerians.
There are many Algerians who have benefited from training and exchange programs initiated mainly by the State Department. What is the number of Algerians who have benefited from these programs to date and how many were there during the last four years?
Each year, approximately 250 Algerians travel to the United States to participate in official exchange programs and training in various fields. Around 6,000 Algerians from across the country have already participated in our educational and cultural exchange programs. Additionally, the United States is proud to fund, with nearly $800,000 over three years, a collaborative project between the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Columbia University Teacher’s College, based in New York. In this framework, Algerian and American experts in the field of education are working together to achieve Algeria’s objective of making English a language of instruction in Algerian universities.
The U.S. Embassy in Algeria is also working with the Ministry of Culture and Arts on a series of cultural preservation projects totaling more than half a million US dollars. These projects will help preserve and protect Algeria’s rich cultural heritage by leveraging American expertise in site management and security, digital archiving, and legislation on cultural heritage preservation and restoration. archaeological objects and structures. These projects stem from an official agreement signed between the US Department of State and the Algerian Ministry of Culture and Arts in Washington DC in 2019.
We are also working with Algeria to increase scientific exchange, climate change resilience, sustainable agricultural production, and bilateral trade. For example, each year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture funds up to five programs for representatives of the Algerian government, education, and private sectors to engage in scientific and research exchanges. research aimed at advancing food security and agricultural sustainability in Algeria.
This year, five Algerians will travel to the United States to improve their expertise on the effectiveness of livestock feed and fertilizers to boost agricultural productivity. We are also proud that the University of Bordj Bou Arreridj in Algeria has concluded a memorandum of understanding devoted to joint research and projects with the University of Langston in Oklahoma covering a range of disciplines including agriculture and business.
Are there any projects that have not yet been realized or are about to be implemented, such as the agricultural sector which seems to benefit from particular attention from American operators?
We are currently discussing the creation of a framework for launching a direct flight between the United States and Algeria. This direct flight will take our relations to the next level, strengthening our common work through more economic and cultural ties, and consolidating Algeria’s role as a regional transport and aviation hub. Furthermore, this will give even more confidence to Americans to come and invest in Algeria. In addition, this will reduce the travel time necessary for them to come and negotiate on-site with their Algerian friends and, if successful, for them to regularly take stock of their common projects. And vice versa. Direct flights will also strengthen the links of the Algerian diaspora with Algeria by facilitating travel.
Just as several projects have been implemented in the agricultural sector, and we continue to work with our Algerian colleagues to bring others to fruition. I am proud to say that since September 2023, we have had two bilateral health certificates in bovine genetics between the US Department of Agriculture and the Algerian Ministry of Agriculture. The presence of American bovine genetics in Algeria, with a bovine genetics market completely open to trade, marks a new era of agricultural collaboration between our two countries. This will give rise to enormous growth potential for the Algerian livestock industry and, of course, for Algerian dairy and meat production.
The United States is pleased to be a key and reliable supplier of quality agricultural inputs to Algeria’s food processing and manufacturing sectors – such as turkey and chicken hatching eggs – which create jobs and guarantee long-term food security for Algerian citizens. We are currently working with the Algerian Ministry of Agriculture to obtain a beef import certificate. American beef would complement Algeria’s efforts to develop food processing, catering, and even tourism activities, which would allow us to go even further in achieving our common goals.
The American administration has just appointed Mr. Joshua Harris as Ambassador of the United States to Algeria, do you have an approximate date of his taking office?
The nomination procedure can sometimes take a long time and I do not have information on the expected timetable. In the meantime, I look forward to continuing to work with the Algerian government and traveling to this wonderful country. I have already visited 43 wilayas and I hope to visit several more.
