Algeria-Chad cooperation: trans-saharan road sections reviewed in N’Djamena

Algerian Minister of Public Works and Basic Infrastructure, Abdelkader Djellaoui, commenced a two-day official visit to the Republic of Chad on Wednesday. Leading a significant delegation, his mission was to explore avenues for advancing joint infrastructure initiatives, with particular emphasis on the monumental Trans-Saharan Road project.

This strategic engagement aligns directly with directives from President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and builds upon recent discussions held during the Chadian President’s visit to Algeria. It underscores a shared commitment to fostering « tangible and practical » bilateral collaboration, ultimately serving the developmental aspirations of both nations.

Minister Djellaoui, accompanied by Abed Hallouz, the Director General of the Algerian Agency for International Cooperation for Solidarity and Development (AICA), touched down Wednesday evening at N’Djamena’s Hassan Djamous International Airport. He received a warm welcome from Amir Idriss Kourda, Chad’s Minister of Infrastructure, Disenclavement, and Road Maintenance, alongside other senior Chadian officials.

The Algerian contingent comprises over fourteen seasoned experts and engineers. This marks their second visit to the Republic of Chad, dedicated to continuing the technical assessments initiated during their previous mission. Among the delegation’s leaders are the CEOs of prominent Algerian enterprises: « Cosider travaux publics » and the National Public Works Company (SNTP), as well as the Director General of the National Technical Control Body for Public Works (CTTP).

The public works sector stands as a cornerstone of cooperation between Algeria and Chad, recognized as a primary catalyst for regional economic integration. Algeria maintains a keen interest in the Trans-Saharan Road initiative, viewing it as a crucial strategic artery designed to forge enduring economic connections between the two countries and the wider region. Consequently, this visit specifically targets the active realization of two key segments of the Trans-Saharan Road situated within Chadian territory, acknowledging their vital role as essential links in this continental network.

Leveraging the substantial expertise accumulated by its national companies in executing major road infrastructure projects, particularly in challenging Saharan environments, Algeria is extending its technical prowess and specialized knowledge to bolster this endeavor. The objective is to catalyze a « profound transformation and invigorate regional trade dynamics ».

This visit is anticipated to culminate in concrete outcomes that will significantly bolster Algerian-Chadian cooperation across the domains of infrastructure and public works.