“Algeria Proved It Did Not Need France’s Support to Develop,” States Ahriz

The fact that Iran’s nuclear case finally bore fruit has led to the blooming of its economic and political ties with other countries into a new phase. This process can be further eased with prominent diplomats playing the field and pave the way for Iran’s developments more than before. Just when Reza Ameri, the Director of the Department for the Middle East and North Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, was appointed Ambassador to Algeria, Abdelmoun’aam Ahriz, an eminent diplomat who, for years, served in different positions at Algeria’s Foreign Ministry arrived in Tehran. As comes the anniversary of the Algerian people’s uprising against the French domination and colonialism, we held an interview with the Ambassador of Algeria to Tehran to seek more about the future horizons in the two countries’ politics and economies and the political developments in Algeria.

AVA Diplomatic’s Exclusive Interview with

Abdelmoun’aam Ahriz, Algeria’s Ambassador to Iran

Interview by Mohammadreza Nazari

 When did you first initiate your diplomatic service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Algeria?

I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in September 1982 after completing my military service.

Were you intrigued in any particular way to work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

Not at all. It was a choice. I was always fascinated by the diplomatic job. Since my early age I follow the international news. Relations between states were a curiosity I wanted to satisfy. The protocol surrounding state visits and the agenda of official meetings were very attracting to me.

You began your work at the desk of Central Africa at the Foreign Ministry in 1984; what countries does this area include? How are Algeria’s ties with these countries arranged and pursued?

I was in charge of many countries (Cameroun, Rwanda, Burundi, Gabon, The Republic of Congo, and The Democratic Republic of Congo). Algeria has consistent positions and efforts in support of African countries in all fields. The education field was given priority and Algeria invested heavily in that sector. Thousands of scholarships were allocated to African students to study in Algeria since the independence in 1962. Regarding Central African countries, Algeria was emphasizing on human resources development in the health sector like building para-medical institutes because of the important needs of these countries. Vocational training and police administration were also of great concern and Algeria provided an important assistance in those fields. Political cooperation with these countries is also very important.

Between 1988 and 1990, you worked as Algeria’s financial consultant in Tokyo. What changes have the economic and political ties between Algeria and Japan witnessed since then?

During the 1990’s Algeria was a big borrower. In that period Algeria contracted many loans from Japanese financial institutions. Many important projects in the energy fields were financed by Japan Exim Bank. Japanese companies built many big projects in oil and gas sectors.

Between 1990 and 1994, your career at the Foreign Ministry related to the countries of South-east Asia. How are these countries important to Algeria?

China, Japan and South Korea are very significant economic partners to Algeria which was pursuing a huge development plan. Housing, infrastructure, energy, information technologies are the main sectors in which these countries were and are intervening in Algeria.

For years, you have worked as the Director of the Department of North America at the Algerian Foreign Ministry. How do you evaluate the ups and downs in the relations between Algeria and the US over the recent years?

Algeria and the United States of America have longstanding and historical relations. In 1783, Algeria became one of the very first nations to officially recognize the now-United States, the people of our two countries have actually had a great deal in common. The strategic dialogue is the main framework of cooperation between the two countries. Large sets of issues are discussed on this occasion: energy and commerce; security collaboration; education and cultural exchanges and the political cooperation.

As stated by Foreign Minister Lamamra during the third session of the Algeria-U.S. Strategic Dialogue last April in Washington DC, this dialogue is having a tangible and positive impact in terms not only of its achievements, but more importantly with regard to the new spirit it had infused to our multidimensional cooperation. This forum has been, indeed, very instrumental in providing the needed holistic approach to our bilateral interactions. The two countries share now the same desire and commitment to reinforce them in order to serve their best interests. The ambition of Algeria is to enlarge the scope of this forum, thus making it an oriented action, policy and decision-making body. Algeria is satisfied indeed with the way this dialogue is evolving and with the results so far achieved.

Algeria is committed to deepen its political, security, economic and commercial relationship with the United States. Moreover, thanks to the trust, mutual respect and shared values that characterize our relations, Algeria and the United States have been able to maintain continued political dialogue and close consultations on international and regional issues of mutual interest.

On the issue of combating terrorism, the quality and effectiveness of our cooperation are a source of satisfaction. Indeed, Algeria and the U.S. are playing a leading role in shaping a coordinated global response to this multifaceted threat to the international peace and security. Both our countries are founding members of the Global Forum against Terrorism. Last march, we hosted a meeting of the Working Group on the Sahel that Algeria co-chairs with Canada.

Since September 11^th 2001, the U.S.A realized the terrorism is a global phenomenon and began to work closely with Algeria on counterterrorism issues. The U.S Administration appreciates the highly constructive role in promoting peace and security Algeria plays in the region and was very supportive of the inter-Malian peace agreement signed last June in Algiers. The U.S. also supports the role of Algeria as vital backer of UN-led efforts to reach a political solution in Libya.

In this context, the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism was timely. It was also very useful as it sought to consider the phenomenon of the radicalization especially among the youth in a multidimensional approach. Algeria expressed during that meeting its readiness to share the lessons it has learned the hard way from its own experience in dealing with this very sensitive problem, by organizing a very important international meeting devoted to de-radicalization.

Algeria is of the view that to be successful in this endeavor, we must effectively combat Islamophobia throughout the world. The stigmatization of Muslims is not only unacceptable, but it further damages our collective efforts to countering the propaganda of violent extremism.

Our economic cooperation has reached, during the last year, an unprecedented dynamic in terms of exchange of high-level visits and the holding of business forums and trade missions. These interactions between our respective government representatives and business communities are of the utmost importance. On Syria, we believe that there can be no military solution to the conflict. We think also the time has come for the international community to engage all the political actors in an inclusive dialogue with the aim of finding a consensual solution to this destructive and senseless war.

How much has Algeria geared toward US and other European countries to decrease the pressures from the EU, esp. France?

Algeria and Europe, especially, southwestern European countries, namely France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, are bound together by a common history and geography, so it is natural that very close exchanges at a human, economic and political level exist between Algeria and its northern neighbors. On the other hand, Algeria, who is an African country and belongs to the Arab world and Muslim Umma, has always privileged the expansion of political economic and human ties with these three geographical and civilization spheres. Our efforts to diversifying our economy and attract foreign investors convinced also us to extend our cooperation to other major actors like BRICS countries and the United States. For instance, since 2013, China became the first trade supplier of Algeria, with 8.2 billons dollars of imported Chinese products in 2014.

In all these cases our ties are exclusively based on mutual respect, promotion of common interests and win-win cooperation, no rooms are left for pressures and blackmails.

It is the Independence Day of Algeria. How has this independence affected the Algerian ties with France?

France’s colonialism in Algeria was one accompanied by devastation and blood. Since its early beginning in July 1830 until 1962 when it was defeated, colonialist France was always after dragging the Algerian people into poverty and taking their Arab-Islamic identity away from them. The French colonialism intended to bring Algerian farmers under its own control to have them work all for her and keep them under France’s and other European colons’ dominance.

All Algerians were making their livings through farming. In the times of colonialism, whatever farmlands and properties these villagers had were taken away from them and put for the use of French and European colonialists. In those days, the people of Algeria were considered second-class citizens and treated like slaves.

In terms of education, it should be mentioned that children were not allowed at traditional Algerian schools to learn their Arabic-Algerian culture in order to erase their identities.

Since the beginning of French colonialist enterprise in 1830, Algerian people opposed a fierce popular resistance leaded by heroes such as Emir Abdelkader, Lala Fatma Nsumer, Sheikh Bouamama, Al Mokrani etc. After that a political struggle begun by the creation of the first political movements.

You could say that the national movement of Algerian people began in the early 20^th century, between 1910 and 1930 and the Association of Algerian Muslim Ulema Association, founded and led by Abdelhamid Ben Badis, started to reinforce the teaching of the Arabic language and Islamic identity.

How did the developments of the Islamic and international world influence Algerian Ulema?

Most of the Algerian scholars were studying at Ez-Zitouna University of Tunisia and Al-Azhar University of Egypt. During WWII and along with the French Army, the people of Algeria were forcefully exploited to fight Nazism. France had promised to give them back their independence once Nazism was defeated.

In 1945 when Nazism was defeated, Algerians held a peaceful demonstration remembering what France had promised them, but, unfortunately, it culminated in a disastrous ending and in a single day, on May 8, 1945, over 45 thousand citizens were massacred in the east of Algeria, in Sétif, Kherrata and Guelma.

Those were unarmed people and had simply taken part in a peaceful protest. The Sétif massacre proved to Algerians that to win their independence, they had to pick up guns and shoot bullets. As a result, various political and associative movements and other independent militants came in coordination with each other to form the Front de Libération Nationale, and the first chapter of armed conflict began in the early morning hours of November 1, 1954 in in different areas of the country.

In fact, 9 years after the 1945 massacre, the armed uprising of the Algerian people against the French colonialism initiated.

That is right. The French colonialism had been planning to dwell in Algeria for good. It can be said the French colonialism in Algeria was one of the bloodiest, most catastrophic ever.

In fact, between 1954 and 1962, one tenth of the Algerian population lost their lives to win their independence. The population was around 15 million back at the time, then 1.5 million were killed by the French.

At the time of conflicts, many European colonist fellows fled off the country due to their fear, and those who stayed were treated properly.

In the days of colonialism, we did not have as many Algerian teachers as needed, because very little percentage of Algerians was allowed to study. Although a small number of the members of the Association of Algerian Muslim Ulema had been educated in Arabic and taught in that language, the rest of the teachers taught in French and after Algeria won its independence, they left the country, too.

Shortly afterwards, we established a movement aimed at teacher training to train teachers in accordance with the Arabic language and culture. Teachers from countries such as Iraq and Syria had come to Algeria to teach. We made every effort to gradually revert the country’s education discipline to Arabic.

In 1965, Mr. Houari Boumediene adopted a socialist policy and took the wheels of the country. As a point of fact, he had no other choice, as the people of Algeria were severely poor and a form of thorough social justice had to be established in the society, and that is why public education and free health service were provided.

Since early 1970s, Algeria began taking steps toward industrialization and for us to create infrastructures and build roads and ports, we needed steel, and to fulfill that, a large steel company was created.

Which countries participated in building that steel company?

Building of El-Hadjar Steel Complex, started in 1967 and finished in 1969, was carried out with cooperation with Soviet experts. Other big companies in other sectors, such as mechanical industry, petrochemical industry electric and electronic industries and pharmacology, were created in late 60s and early 70s.

In 1971, Algeria decided to nationalize the hydrocarbons industry, a sector which was mostly controlled by French companies at that time.  This decision has strengthened the political and economical position of Algeria and gave to its national company “Sonatrach”, created in 1963, a new impetus. Today, “Sonatrach” is ranked first company in Africa, 12^th in the world and it is operating in several parts in the world.

Algeria has also undertaken a strategy of diversification of its economic partners, but still, due to geographic proximity and historical and human links, France remains one of the key partners of Algeria, alongside with other countries like Spain, China, Italy, Germany and United States.

Are the present political relations between Algeria and France based on mutual respect?

Algeria has always tried to maintain that mutual respect and avoid interference with other countries’ interior affairs. Algeria and France have a lot of areas of common interests on which they are cooperating and have converged views on lot of issues. But there are also some divergences on some other, like issues related to the memory of the tragic common history, the issue of Western Sahara and some other international issues, such as the military intervention in Libya. But in all these cases, the mutual respect and the dialogue have always prevailed.

 A few days ago, Algeria’s Minister of Communications was given a body cavity search at the airport in Paris. Can that be viewed as an addition to France’s colonist attitude?

I cannot make any comment on that, but you sure know that later, France officially apologized for that incident. That is an unfortunate thing to happen and is surely unacceptable. At least, I hope that has not been on purpose.

Over your years of diplomatic service, you have displayed “the Battle of Algiers” many times. Do you have the same plan for the anniversary of Algeria’s Independence Day?

“The Battle of Algiers” is indicative of people’s fighting and reminds us of the resistance of the people of Algeria against colonialist France. We have displayed this movie at Milad Tower-Tehran- during three days on the occasion of the Algerian cultural days (27-30 October 2015). We will display it on the occasion of our national day.

What is your top priority after you arrived in Iran?

The priority is to enhance economic ties between Algeria and Iran. Great opportunities do exist on both sides in various fields such construction, energy, pharmaceuticals. On the other hand, promoting cooperation in the education sector and the culture of Algeria in order to have better understanding between our two peoples are other fields of interest.

How much can the lift-off of sanction against Iran benefit the circumstances between the two countries to boost their ties?

As you know, on the political, cultural and human levels, the relations between our countries have always been excellent and friendly. But unfortunately our trade and economic relations didn’t reflect the political will of our respective Governments, the potentialities of our countries and the opportunities provided by our economies. The sanctions and restrictions on financial transaction have for sure hampered the initiatives and efforts of our companies and contractors aiming to develop trade exchanges and create joint-ventures. But I am confident that with the removal of those sanctions our trade and economic ties will witness a qualitative and quantitative expansion, especially since there is a reciprocal interest for partnership expressed by lot of Iranian and Algerian companies and there is a total readiness of the authorities to encourage and assist them.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Government and the people of Iran for the nuclear agreement concluded with the P5+1, last July. It is great achievement which preserves the rights of Iran enshrined in the Non-Proliferation Treaty and permits a swift removal of international sanctions.

Has there been any assessment of potentials between the two countries for economic cooperation?

The permanent dialogue between our Governments and the exchanges between the Iranian Chamber of Trade, Industry, Mining and Agriculture and its counterpart in Algeria, and the direct contacts between businessmen and companies in both countries, has lead to a greater understanding of each other’s priorities and objectives and contributed to a better knowledge of the potentials of cooperation and the existing opportunities. Hence our efforts are focused on the economic sectors of common interest.

Which area can be the two countries’ common chapter of investment?

We can identify four major areas for common investment projects:

-Energy: both countries are producer of Gas and Petroleum and have a rich expertise in this domain. We can envisage common projects in the fields of exploring, producing and transporting of hydrocarbons. The valorization of these resources, through their processing, is one of the top priorities in both countries which can cooperate to foster petrochemical and refining industries. Algeria is also willing to benefit from Iranian expertise in the area of peaceful uses of atomic energy.

-Industry and mining: Iran and Algeria have always identified the industry as a key sector for their development and they have adopted different strategies and policies to promote it. It is possible for the two countries to exchange their expertise and for the businessmen to create joint ventures in a large range of industrial activities like mechanical and car industry, iron and steel industries, electrical and electrical goods industries, advanced technologies, food processing industry, pharmaceutical industry wood and furniture. The exploitation of the Iranian and Algerian rich mining patrimonies is another sector of common interest.

-Services: A fruitful cooperation can be also conducted between the Iranian and Algerian contractors in the areas of Management, engineering, procurement and construction services.

What are Algeria’s top exporting products to Iran? What products does it import from Iran?

Due to the strengthening of the economic and financial sanctions imposed upon Iran, the overall volume of trade between Algeria and Iran has continued to decline from USD 50 million in 2008 to 23 million in 2011 and USD 7.4 in 2014.

Algeria’s exports remain insignificant. The imports from Iran include consumer goods such as pistachio, equipment and technical and engineering services.

When is the second supreme commission between Iran and Algeria due to be hold? What is it agenda?

The High bilateral Commission will take place around the mid-December of this year in Algiers. It will review and assess the strengths and weaknesses of the bilateral cooperation and will examine the ways to develop and expand the relations between Iran and Algeria in all fields, especially in finance, trade and investment.

In September, the Heads of Iran and Algeria Central Banks met in Tehran. What does the most important MOU they signed cover?

An MOU was signed between the heads of the Central Banks of the two countries so that the commercial banks of Iran and Algeria could remove the hurdles on transactions, transfers and banking drafts. This new instrument established a permanent mechanism of consultation between the two Central Banks which will facilitate banking transactions, resolve litigious issues and encourage relations between commercial banks in both countries.

This MOU alongside with the removal of international sanctions on Iran will, for sure, open new perspectives for bilateral cooperation and boost partnership between Algerian and Iranian businessmen.

Will Algerian economic committees visit Iran in a near future?

Visits of economic delegations to Algeria and Iran will probably intervene after the holding of the second High bilateral commission, which will take place in Algiers, in mid-December of this year, under the co-chairmanship of Iranian First Vice-president, H.E.Mr. Ishaq Jahanguiri, and Algerian Prime Minister, H.E.Mr. Abdelmalek Sellal.  Ahead of this session, a meeting of the Follow up committee will take place in Algeria, at the end of November chaired by HEMr. Akhoundi, Iran’s Minister of Road and Urban Development and H.E. Mr. Abdelkader Messahel, Minister of Maghreb Affairs, African Union and Arab League.

During this session, future projects and mechanisms to extend cooperation will be discussed. Also we expect the future visit of Algeria’s Minister of Health and Minister of Housing and Urban Development.

How do you evaluate the role of the Iranian Embassy in Algeria in extending relations between the two countries following the appointment of Mr. Reza Ameri as Iran’s new ambassador to Algeria?

I would like congratulate Mr. Reza Ameri, the Iranian Ambassador to Algeria on successfully organizing the cultural week of Iran in Constantine between October 9 and 13, 2015. I am very thankful of him for all the efforts he invested in developing the friendly ties between Iran and Algeria.

Another point is that for enhancing trade ties between the two countries, I like to point out that the Embassy of Algeria in Iran has eased the visa issuance process for Iranian businessmen.

Regarding tourism, too, we have held contacts with a number of tourism agencies in Iran so that they can cooperate with tourism agencies in Algeria. We will try to arrange a number of tours from Iran to Algeria for the upcoming Iranian New Year holidays, Nowrooz, to request of the Iranians.

Considering Algeria’s reliance on gas and oil revenues, how will the drop in the global price of oil affect Algeria’s economy?

It is clear that the dramatic drop in hydrocarbons prices has an impact on our revenues, but Algeria, as the IMF noted, has the required assets to face this difficult situation.  The macro-prudential policy and the reinforcement of its budgetary margins of maneuver allow the Government to make the necessary adjustments.

These new constraints offer also an excellent opportunity of introspection and bold decision-making for the construction of new economic vision and resources diversification. In this regard, the government validated a model of national economic growth and budget guidelines for the five-year program 2015/2019 which takes into consideration the decline in oil prices.

With a production rate of over 4 million barrel of oil in day, Africa is producing as much oil as Iran, Venezuela and Mexico are offering combined. How do you see the role of African Countries in stabilizing the global price of oil?

With 8% of world oil reserves, 7.6% of world gas reserves and a positive prospect to discover new reserves (Six of the top 10 global discoveries in the oil and gas sector in 2013 were made in Africa), Africa continent is incontestably a major player in oil global market. It is worth to note that 5 of the 12 members of OPEC are the major African oil producers which are fully committed to ensure the stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an efficient and regular supply of petroleum to consumers and steady incomes to producers.

Some Algerian experts have anticipated that Libya is possible to disintegrate in the future, and the Algerian government is trying hard to prevent that from happening. How much can Algeria contribute to solving this crisis?

Since the very beginning, Algeria opposed any form of foreign intervention in the Libyan crisis. We have constantly stated that foreign intervention in Libya would bring grave consequences, esp. in terms of terrorism and arms trafficking. You know about borders in Sahara region, they are very porous, the population is scarce, the distances are huge and the climate is very hard, and it is impossible to control them totally. There are all kinds of trafficking, specially arms and drogue.

Algeria has always encouraged its Libyan brothers to work out this problem using peaceful methods in a way that their country preserves its integrity and remains united. There have even been talks between Libyan officials in Algeria and Morocco. Algeria fully supports the UN efforts aiming at the establishment of a Libyan National Unity Government which will be the first step to the stabilization of this neighboring country.

How will Libya’s disintegration affect African developments?

The deterioration of the security situation has already gravely affected the security in all over the Sahel region. The crisis in Mali and the strengthening of the terrorists groups, like “Boko Haram”, are some of the consequences of the Libyan crisis. Even the European continent is affected trough the increase of clandestine immigration flux.

We remain confident that our brothers in Libya will make wisdom prevail and engage in inclusive national dialogue to surmount the crisis and preserve the territorial unity and integrity of their country.

The chief of staff of the Algerian People’s National Army, Ahmed Gaid Salah declared emergency situation in the country. Is it possible for extremism and terrorist group to arrive in Algeria?

It is not an emergency situation. It is true that situation in our eastern and southern borders imposes increasing vigilance, but our military forces and security services are always on full readiness. The danger is always there. We never sleep and do stay awake, because terrorism is always awake.

We have always been fully alert since the early 90s, for if we act otherwise, huge problems would arise. I should remind you Algeria has paid a huge toll for achieving its current state of security. We lost over 200 thousand lives between 1991 and 2000 to fighting terrorism. So that is why Algeria uses all its financial and human resources to fight these problems so that it would remain in peace and security. We even help out our brother countries that have problems keeping their security like Mali, Niger and Tunisia. We can say that every day, the Algerian border police forces arrest smugglers who try to bring drugs and both heavy and light weaponry into the country.

Are individuals like Abbassi Madani, the leader of Front Islamique du Salut, considered to be threats to Algeria’s security?

The members of this dissolved party are not permitted to carry out political activities in Algeria.

Why is this party not allowed to have political activities?

A number of the members of Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) encouraged or carried terrorist acts. This is why former members of this banned political party are not allowed performing political activities and creating new political parties. Apart from this party, of course, there are other Islamic parties in Algeria that operate in total compliance with the laws of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.

One of the issues that saddened the Islamic World was the death of thousands of pilgrims in the haj rituals. How many Algerian pilgrims died in that incident?

I would like to use this opportunity and express my condolences to the dear families of the deceased. I also seek forgiveness and mercy from the Almighty for them and may Heaven be their home. However, according to the official statistics published on October 22, 43 Algerians were killed and 4 injured.

Did Algeria not have any missing pilgrims?

Very limited number Algerian pilgrims are still missing. There is a crisis committee formed in Algeria to follow up the situation   and we are waiting for the result of the investigation decided by the high authorities in Riyadh.

Are the corpses of the deceased transferred to Algeria?

In accordance with our traditions, when someone dies in a holy place, they are buried just right there. It can be said that it is every old Algerian hajji’s wish to die and be buried in Mecca or Medina.

Undoubtedly, any difficult or slow death is always tragic, but for the elderly pilgrims, it is their first wish to die and be buried there.