Algeria will never forget Indonesia's help: Envoy<\/p>\n
Veeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Algeria, an oil-rich North African country, will never forget
\nthe 1955 Bandung Conference and Indonesia's first president
\nSukarno, says Algeria's new ambassador to Indonesia Hamza Yahia-
\nCherif.<\/p>\n
\"At that time we were under the French colonial administration
\nlike caged birds. It was both the Bandung Conference and Sukarno
\nwho inspired the birds to be free. That's why, we will not forget
\nBandung and Sukarno,\" Ambassador Yahia-Cherif, who submitted his
\ncredentials to President Susilo on Jan. 10, 2005, told The
\nJakarta Post in an interview in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Inspired by the Bandung conference, the Algerian people, under
\nthe leadership of the National Liberation Front (FLN) rose up
\nagainst their French colonial masters -- sparking a revolution
\nthat claimed an estimated 280,000 Algerian and 100,000 French
\nlives. Algeria became independent in 1962.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is going to host the Golden Jubilee celebration of
\nthe Bandung Conference and the Asian-African Summit in April 2005
\nin Jakarta and Bandung, West Java.<\/p>\n
The Bandung Conference was organized in 1955 to promote South-
\nSouth cooperation and help oppressed people to liberate
\nthemselves from colonial rule.<\/p>\n
The FLN opened its representative office in Jakarta in 1956
\nand Indonesia supported the Algerian people's struggle for
\nindependence, a move that strengthened relations between the two
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
In this historic context, the present relations between
\nIndonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population and
\nAlgeria a staunchly Islamic nation with Africa's second largest
\neconomy, seem natural.<\/p>\n
\"Our ties with Indonesia are excellent. Both countries'
\nleaders have good contacts,\" Yahia Cherif said.<\/p>\n
But these ties, which are moving at a faster pace on political
\nand security fronts than on the economic, social, educational and
\ncultural fronts, still do not represent the two countries' real
\npotential.<\/p>\n
In an effort to boost Indonesia's relations with Algeria, then
\npresident Megawati Soekarnoputri -- the daughter of Sukarno --
\nvisited Algiers in September 2002.<\/p>\n
During Megawati's visit, Indonesia's state-owned PT Pertamina
\nsigned an oil deal with its Algerian counterpart Sonatrach under
\nwhich Jakarta will buy 900,000 barrels of oil every month.<\/p>\n
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the first
\ndemocratically elected President who controls both the ruling and
\nthe once mighty armed forces, visited Jakarta in 2003 to
\nstrengthen ties in various sectors like small and medium
\nenterprises (SME), tourism, fisheries and trade.<\/p>\n
The stage is set for opening a new chapter in the history of
\nbilateral relations between the two countries when Bouteflika
\nvisits Jakarta and meets Indonesia's first directly elected
\npresident in April to attend the Asian-African Summit.<\/p>\n
\"These high level visits and contacts reflect our excellent
\nrelations,\" the 50-year-old diplomat who speaks fluent Arabic,
\nFrench, English and Japanese said.<\/p>\n
Yahia-Cherif is an frank career diplomat with the courage to
\ncall the spade a spade in a world where diplomacy is more about
\nevasion than position.<\/p>\n
\"I feel ashamed to mention the figures of our bilateral trade.
\nWe have signed some 23 agreements in so many sectors. It seems we
\nlost our focus. Our leaders have close contacts. But these close
\nties do not yield much in reality,\" said Yahia-Cherif, who wants
\nto boost the existing relationship with Jakarta to a level
\ncommensurate with ties on the political front.<\/p>\n
\"I do not understand why we are not progressing in some
\nsectors. I want to focus my energies only on some key sectors
\nlike education, public works, SME, religious affairs and
\nhandicrafts,\" Yahia-Cherif explained.<\/p>\n
In terms of value, however, bilateral trade has been growing
\nsince 2000. In 2003, the total value of the bilateral trade
\nreached $326.64 million compared to $50 million in 2000.<\/p>\n
The main reason for this surge in bilateral trade, according
\nto Yahia-Cherif, was Indonesia's purchase of crude oil and gas
\nfrom Algeria (see graph).<\/p>\n
Algeria and Indonesia, who established formal diplomatic
\nrelations in 1963 and have some of the world's biggest
\nhydrocarbon reserves, are both members of the Organization of
\nPetroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Organization of Islamic
\nConference (OIC) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).<\/p>\n
Indonesia is the only Far Eastern member of OPEC and the
\nlargest exporter of gas in the world.<\/p>\n
Algeria, which ranks 14th in world's oil reserves, is the
\nsecond-largest gas exporter after Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Indonesia exports coffee, plywood, tea, food beverages,
\ntextiles, timber products (handicrafts) and building materials to
\nAlgeria, a country of 32 million people that is heavily dependent
\non oil and gas exports (60 percent of its budget revenue comes
\nfrom oil and gas sector).<\/p>\n
Algeria, which has a US$196 billion market, exports mainly
\noil, gas and phosphate to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Thanks to the sale of oil and gas, the bilateral trade has
\nheavily been in favor of Algeria since 2001.<\/p>\n
Yahia-Cherif says Algeria, which opened up its economy to
\nforeign companies in 1991, offers many opportunities for
\nIndonesian businesspeople.<\/p>\n
\"We want Indonesian companies to visit Algeria and invest in
\nour infrastructure projects like building toll roads, houses and
\noffice buildings. We are planning to build a 1,000 km highway. I
\nheard Indonesian companies built beautiful toll roads in the
\nPhilippines and Malaysia. Why not Algeria?,\" the ambassador
\nasked.<\/p>\n
Algeria, according to Yahia-Cherif, can learn a lot from
\nIndonesia in sectors like tourism, handicrafts and construction.<\/p>\n
\"Like Indonesia, Algeria is a beautiful country. Though it is
\nin Africa, Algeria is a unique place where one can ski, or travel
\nin a desert and enjoy our beaches,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In the context of long-standing relations and the bright
\nprospects between the two countries, Yahia-Cherif said, \"We have
\nshared our history. Let's share our future.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/algeria-will-never-forget-indonesias-help-envoy-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}