National Memory: A Renewed Covenant and a Rejection of Compromise Copy link

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s recent visit to Türkiye was more than a ceremonial state trip; it reflected the emergence of a deeper political and strategic alignment between Algiers and Ankara at a time of major regional shifts. Beyond the symbolism of protocol, the visit highlighted growing convergence on key geopolitical issues ranging from regional stability to Palestine and economic sovereignty

A Reception Rich in Political Symbolism

The visit was marked by an exceptional level of official hospitality, underscoring Algeria’s rising regional weight in Turkish foreign policy calculations. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan personally accompanied President Tebboune during several stages of the visit inside the presidential complex in Ankara — a gesture widely interpreted as a sign of strong political chemistry and mutual respect between the two leaders.

The highlight of the visit came with President Tebboune receiving the “Order of the State of the Republic of Türkiye,” the highest distinction awarded by Türkiye to foreign heads of state. The move carried a clear political message: Algeria is viewed by Ankara as a trusted and strategic partner in North Africa and across the African continent.

Western Sahara and International Legitimacy

The issue of Western Sahara was also present during the political discussions, particularly amid growing tensions across the Maghreb and Sahel regions. Algeria reiterated its long-standing position in favor of a UN-led solution based on the right to self-determination and respect for international legitimacy.

The Turkish side, meanwhile, appeared broadly aligned with the importance of peaceful political solutions and regional stability through dialogue rather than imposed realities, reflecting a noticeable convergence in strategic vision between both countries.

Palestine: The Strongest Point of Convergence

The Palestinian cause stood at the center of the joint political discourse. Both presidents strongly condemned Israeli actions in the occupied Palestinian territories and expressed concern over the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.

President Tebboune reaffirmed Algeria’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and its refusal to compromise on Palestinian rights. President Erdoğan, for his part, praised Algeria’s diplomatic positions within the UN Security Council and its continued calls for a ceasefire and civilian protection.

This convergence revealed not only political coordination, but also a broader alignment in foreign policy priorities on one of the most sensitive issues in international politics today.

Economic and Defense Cooperation Beyond Symbolic Diplomacy

The summit also produced concrete economic and strategic outcomes. Both countries reaffirmed their ambition to raise bilateral trade volume to nearly $10 billion, while expanding Turkish investments in Algeria in sectors such as industry, infrastructure, and energy.

Defense cooperation was another key topic, with discussions focusing on military industries, technology transfer, and industrial partnerships aimed at strengthening Algeria’s strategic autonomy and domestic production capabilities

President Tebboune’s visit to Ankara signals a rapid evolution in Algeria–Türkiye relations from traditional cooperation toward a broader strategic partnership built on shared geopolitical interests and coordinated regional visions.

Between the symbolism of state honors, the alignment on Palestine and Western Sahara, and the expansion of economic and security cooperation, the summit reflected the emergence of a new diplomatic dynamic capable of reshaping regional balances in the Mediterranean and Africa.

More importantly, the visit reinforced Algeria’s growing role as an increasingly influential regional actor in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.

Algeria News Portal: The Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lounas Makraman, on behalf of the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the National Community Abroad and African Affairs, Ahmed Attaf was present on May 7, 2026 at the ministerial meeting devoted to follow-up of the action within ( Med9++) initiative.

The meeting was centered around the topic “The Strait of Hormuz: Access to Fertilizers and Food Security” while it had been convened jointly by Italy and Croatia.

This was in the presence of a number of foreign affairs ministers from Arab states, the European Union and Western Balkans, FAO representatives and other regional and international agents,during this virtual conference where several solutions were discussed to promote global cooperation under the umbrella of food security matters or energy delivery alongside fertilizers supply chains.

Lounas Makram, who spoke on behalf of the participants, explained the need to invest in this industry in order to promote food security by developing national capabilities and sharing knowledge, noting that there are now strategic projects implemented based in Algeria’s energy and mining industries serving this purpose in accordance with the guidelines drawn forth by Abdelmadjid Tebboune. He also called for enhancing Algeria’s strategic role in supporting development opportunities at regional level, stressing the need to ensure supply of vital goods and commodities necessary to implement international food security.

Algeria News Portal: Algeria and Turkey began negotiations of a preferential trade agreement with a view to raising trade to $10 billion.

🔴انطلاق أشغال منتدى الأعمال الجزائري – التركي 🇹🇷 🇩🇿 بمشاركة رجال أعمال جزائريين وأتراك

🔴التوقيع على عدة #اتفاقيات تخص مجالات اقتصادية هامة بين الجانبين الجزائري والتركي خلال أشغال منتدى رجال الأعمال الجزائري – التركي

🔴منتدى الأعمال الجزائري-التركي يترأسه مناصفة وزير التجارة… pic.twitter.com/fCshfGhRYd

— بوابة الجزائر – Algeria Gate (@algatedz) May 7, 2026

Kamal Rezig the Minister for Foreign Trade and Export promotion said during the joint chairmanship with his Turkish counterpart Mer Bulut of the Algerian-Turkish Business Forum, which began on Thursday with the participation of Algerian and Turkish business figures, that bilateral Algerian-Turkish relations have “reached a mature stage” and the launch of talks on a preferential trade deal was officialized at the opening of the forum attended by over 200 Algerian and 250 Turkish business figures.

Raziq told Algerian International Radio the volume of trade between the two nations had exceeded $6 billion and reiterated the increasing dynamism of their bilateral partnership noting the cooperation will increasingly involve investment, technology transfer, enhancing regional and international competitiveness.

The chairman of the Turkish Board of Foreign Economic Relations Nael Olbak said there was a shared desire to increase the volume of trade to $10 billion and confirmed the signing of a new agreement with the CREA council for the stimulation of investments and business partnerships especially since Turkey was leveraging the African market through Algeria.

In turn the Vice president of CREA, Reda Hachlaf said that it was necessary to create an “Algerian-Turkish industrial alliance” aiming for international markets.

The Managing Director of the Algerian Investment Promotion Agency Omar Rakkash declared meanwhile that Algeria provided an “investment climate based on trust and equity between investors with attractive prospects in the fields of energy, industry, agriculture and tourism.”