Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Brey (L) and Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia attend a joint press conference after their meeting in Algiers, Algeria, April 3, 2018. Algeria and Spain on Tuesday inked five draft agreements to boost economic cooperation, during the visit of Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Brey to Algiers. (Xinhua)
ALGIERS, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Algeria and Spain on Tuesday inked five draft agreements to boost economic cooperation, during the visit of Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Brey to Algiers.
The deals were signed on the sidelines of the 7th Algerian-Spanish High Level Meeting held on Tuesday in Algiers and co-chaired by Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia and his visiting Spanish counterpart.
The draft agreements aim to enhance bilateral cooperation in the sectors of industry, agricultural insurance, vocational training, higher education and scientific research.
In his opening remarks, Ouyahia hailed "remarkable quality of bilateral cooperation which is harmoniously progressing, as we have signed in recent years some 50 cooperation agreements in almost all sectors."
"Our historical relations are based on the Treaty of Friendship for Good Neighborhood and Cooperation, concluded between the two countries in 2002," said Ouyahia.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Brey on Tuesday arrived in Algeria to boost bilateral relations.
In 2017, Spain was ranked the third biggest customer of Algeria with a total of 4.1 billion U.S. dollars, and the fifth biggest supplier of the North African nation with 3.1 billion dollars.
Yet, Spain overcame Italy in the first two months of 2018 to become Algeria's biggest customer, according to figures of Algerian customs.
