On March 22, 1971, Venezuela and Algeria formally established bilateral ties through the exchange of notes between their representatives to the United Nations in New York.
In a Joint Statement released on March 23 that same year, the two countries expressed their will to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between their peoples.
However, from 1971 to 2000, their relations were poor, including at most a meeting between then Presidents Luis Herrera Campíns and Chadli Bendjedid in February 1980, an agreement to endorse a Venezuela-Algeria Intergovernmental Joint Commission, a trade agreement and a cultural cooperation agreement in May 1985.
Strengthening Bilateral Relations
Within the framework of the strategic vision towards Africa adopted by the Bolivarian Government, Venezuela-Algeria relations have become more dynamic and stronger since 2000 with a number of both high-level and technical, cultural official working visits, presidential meetings and exchanges. As a result, a memorandum of understanding was endorsed by Venezuelan and Algerian Foreign Ministries to establish a political consultation mechanism in August, giving way to a new phase of relations that produced concrete results.
Likewise, the two countries held three joint commissions, which enabled them to deepen cooperation in non-traditional areas such as telecommunications and industry, among others.
In January 2002, Venezuela and Algeria held their First Joint Commission in Algiers and endorsed the following six agreements:
- Framework Agreement on Cultural, Scientific, Environmental, Education and Sports Cooperation.
- Cooperation Agreement between VENPRES (current Venezuelan News Agency) and Algerie Press Service (APS).
- Cooperation Agreement between Algeria’s National Radio and Venezuela’s National Radio.
- Agreement between Venezuela’s Foreign Trade Bank and the Algerian Board for the Promotion of External Trade (current ALGEX).
- Trade Agreement (which revoked the 1985 agreement).
- Memorandum of Understanding in energy and mines.
In order to establish a cooperation based on the exchange of experiences in fiscal control within the framework of the statute of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), a memorandum of cooperation was endorsed by the Algerian Court of Accounts and the Venezuelan Comptroller General’s Office.
In February 2004, Venezuela and Algeria adopted a visa waiver agreement on diplomatic passports. In 2006, the two countries moved forward with the diversification of their bilateral relations by endorsing two new documents: an MoU on mutual cooperation between diplomatic institutes, and an agreement in maritime transport.
At the Second Joint Commission, held in Caracas in October 2007, they endorsed the following six agreements:
- Memorandum of understanding between Venezuela’s Ministry of People’s Power for Energy and Oil and Algeria’s Ministry of Energy and Mines.
- Memorandum of understanding on exploration and production in the area of hydrocarbons.
- Staff training program between Petróleos de Venezuela, S. A. (PDVSA) and the Algerian Institute of Oil.
- Memorandum of understanding in the areas of communication and information.
- Memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the areas of normalization and conformity assessment.
- Friendship and cooperation agreement between the Wilaya of Algiers and the Mayor’s Office of the Caracas Metropolitan District.
On the occasion of the Third Joint Commission, held in Algeria in November 2009, three agreements were endorsed:
- PDVSA’s asphalt sales agreement.
- Cultural exchange program between the Venezuelan and Algerian governments.
- Cooperation agreement in the area of protection of plants and plant quarantine.
In 2012, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding to assess SONATRACH’s participation in the development of the Mariscal Sucre and Eastern Delta Caribe project: In 2013, they endorsed the protocol of the agreement on the completion of commodity markets on the occasion of Algeria’s adhesion to the World Trade Organization.
Alliance, friendship and brotherhood based on solidarity
The joint commissions and the different meetings between Venezuelan and Algerian authorities have propelled agreements in areas such as education, energy, diplomacy, politics, culture, and communications, among others.
Particularly, their energy relations are of great importance. They both are members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, and the cooperation developed by their oil companies has led to the training of 350 Venezuelans in Algeria in the gas area. This exchange made Algeria one of Venezuela’s main partners to pursue the recovery of oil prices.
In the multilateral field, the two countries are strong allies, proving it through the support they have expressed in the international sphere.
Venezuela and Algeria share the same vision on their foreign policy regarding the respect and principles of public international law such as sovereignty, the peoples’ free self-determination, and the non-interference in other countries’ domestic affairs, becoming strong defenders of the Palestine cause and the struggle of the Sahrawi people, to whom they have expressed their support.
The Venezuelan and Algerian embassies’ efforts have been decisive to develop different projects, including the construction of the Simón Bolívar Square in Algiers in November 2009, and the construction of a bust of Algerian national hero Emir Abdelkader in January 2012 at the National Library of Venezuela in Caracas.
In the cultural field, Venezuela and Algeria have exchanged delegations in different festivals, book fairs, forums, meetings and other activities.
The Venezuelan and Algerian peoples have also developed relations based on friendship, brotherhood, and solidarity through exchanges and meetings held by organizations, social movements, intellectuals, academicians, and political parties.
After 50 years of relations, Venezuela and Algeria have achieved a positive balance as they rely on strong ties of brotherhood, based on the principles of friendship, cooperation, solidarity and respect, enabling them to continue working on the implementation of new plans for their benefit.