Ghana and Algeria have expressed their commitment to strengthening their trade relations as part of promoting intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Both countries have also agreed to revitalise the fourth session of the Ghana-Algeria Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation to finalise existing draft agreements and explore new areas of cooperation.
Speaking at the 71st National Day celebration of Algeria in Accra last Wednesday, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, said as Africa advanced towards greater integration and economic transformation, Ghana and Algeria remained steadfast.
“We will continue to be steadfast partners in promoting peace and stability on the continent, which are essential for the socio-economic development we aim for,” she said.
National Day
Algeria’s National Day is celebrated in commemoration of November 1, 1954, when coordinated attacks by about 70 individuals were carried out on police and military targets across the country by the National Liberation Front (FLN).
These attacks signalled the start of the Algerian War.
While France won the conflict and regained control of the country, the brutality of the suppression of the revolution further alienated the Algerians and resulted in a loss of support for France's control of Algeria, both in France and abroad.
This change in attitude directly led to independence from Algeria on July 5, 1962.
The day is observed to honour the sacrifices of Algerians who fought for freedom, and it remains a powerful symbol of resistance, unity and sovereignty.
Relations
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said the bilateral relations between Ghana and Algeria had expanded into several key sectors, including education and capacity-building exchanges, trade and investment, and defence and security cooperation.
Equally significant, she added, was the Algerian scholarship programme for African students, under which 40 slots were allocated to Ghanaian students this year, a gesture she said underscored Algeria's enduring commitment to human resource development and people-to-people ties.
These initiatives, she pointed out, not only strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two nations but also ensure that the partnership between Ghana and Algeria continues to advance in the true spirit of African solidarity and shared progress.
Congratulating the government and people of Algeria on their national day, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare commended Algeria’s continued progress and the remarkable strides it has made in advancing socio-economic development while upholding the principles of sovereignty and self-determination.
Revolution
The Algerian Ambassador to Ghana, Mourad Louhaidia, among others, talked about the Algerian Revolution as well as the historic relationship between Algeria and Ghana tracing it to the first President of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, whose vision of a united, free and proud Africa, saw Ghana stand shoulder to shoulder with Algeria during those difficult years, offering not only moral, but political and diplomatic support to their cause.
“It was here in Accra that Frantz Fanon, one of the greatest thinkers of the liberation era and the son of Africa by conviction, served as the first ambassador of the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic in 1958, four years before our independence.
Fanon, whose writings continue to inspire liberation movements around the world, found in Ghana a home, a place that shared the same dream of an Africa free from colonisation, racism and exploitation.
“Relations between Algeria and Ghana have always been shaped by those shared values and vision inspired by the struggle of African nations for independence,” he said.
He added that Algeria today also has a strong financial position, the largest gold reserves among central banks in Africa, the second-largest foreign currency reserves in Africa, and the only African country with zero foreign debt.
“At the social level, we have succeeded in building an efficient national free health care system and extensive public housing policy, making Algeria the first African country to invest in an efficient, affordable housing for every citizen,” he said.
