Official statement to the media by the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, alongside the President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, Abdelmadjid[...]

SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SPAIN, PEDRO SÁNCHEZ

Good morning.

Thank you very much, President Tebboune, for your kind words and for the warm welcome you have extended to the entire Spanish delegation here in Algeria today.

Indeed, on a day like today, a day of great joy and celebration in Spain, please allow me to begin by thanking the Spanish national team and the coaching staff for their performance, their effort and their victory. Because it is, of course, a victory for all Spaniards, both men and women.

I would also like, Mr President, on behalf of the Government of Spain and the whole of Spanish society, to express our condolences following the fire at the orphanage.

Sadly, year after year, our societies are increasingly suffering the consequences of fires. We, too, have suffered - and are currently suffering - from wildfires, and the State law enforcement forces and agencies and the entire Civil Protection Service are working to safeguard lives, protect our country's citizens, and, of course, extinguish these fires as quickly as possible.

Now then, Mr President, I would like to turn to today's visit. This visit is also of particular importance to us, the Government of Spain, because Spain regards Algeria not only as a neighbouring country, but also as a strategic partner and, above all, as a friend.

Friends, as enshrined in our Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighbourliness and Cooperation, which serves as a solid foundation upon which we continue to build excellent bilateral relations - a relationship I also wish to celebrate today. If this visit symbolises anything, it is our firm determination to deepen this friendship, to expand our forward-looking bilateral cooperation, and to move forward into this new phase.

From the Government of Spain's point of view, there are three main priorities which we share with the Algerian Government and its President, President Tebboune.

Firstly, it is essential to strengthen political dialogue between Spain and Algeria. Dialogue is the foundation upon which everything else is built; therefore, I believe it is very important that the 8th High-Level Meeting between our governments take place this coming autumn - a meeting that will, naturally, be preceded by political consultations to ensure its success.

I have asked my teams to start working with their Algerian counterparts as of today to ensure that this High-Level Meeting is a success that benefits both our societies.

I believe the High-Level Meeting will allow us to deepen our cooperation in many areas, such as security and the fight against irregular migration, as you mentioned. It will also provide fresh impetus to many other fields, such as cultural cooperation, which is of particular importance for fostering people-to-people exchanges.

I would also like to take this opportunity - as I did in private, President Tebboune - to publicly express my gratitude for Spain having been the guest of honour at the Algiers International Fair just a few weeks ago. This is something the Government of Spain has particularly appreciated.

Secondly, Spain seeks to build an economic partnership that is mutually beneficial for both Algeria and Spain. Our country - my country - wishes to establish itself as a strategic partner of Algeria in the modernisation process you are driving forward, and in the expansion of your energy and industrial sectors.

For this reason, I believe it is very important that I am accompanied on this trip by the top executives of Spanish energy companies - companies with a substantial presence in Algeria that are firmly committed to continuing their investment and contributing to Algeria's prosperity.

So far in 2026, Algeria has been our leading supplier of natural gas at a time of extraordinary uncertainty in the international markets. Here in Spain, Mr President, we particularly value Algeria's role as a strategic and reliable partner.

Clearly, this is not just a supplier relationship. We also want to work together to tackle the challenges of the energy transition, technological innovation and the digitalisation of infrastructure.

And our economic relationship goes, of course, far beyond the energy sector.

We want to continue promoting the presence and investment of our companies in Algeria. The activities of Spanish companies across sectors such as industry, agribusiness, food production, infrastructure and services

demonstrate, above all, the commitment of our business community to Algeria's prosperity.

We have therefore had the opportunity to speak in advance with representatives of the Spanish companies based here, to find out first-hand about their current and future projects and to assure them of our full support.

And I am convinced that, as we give new impetus to relations between Algeria and Spain, our private sector and our companies will play a key role, which the Government of Spain certainly wishes to support and encourage.

Let me give a recent example.

Just a few weeks ago, Spain had the privilege of being a guest of honour at the Algiers International Fair, which was opened by President Tebboune. Mr. President, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting our stand, for the attention you paid to the companies showcasing their capabilities and added value at the fair, and for your commitment to contributing to Algeria's development.

Finally, I believe Algeria and Spain are called upon to work closely together on the international stage as two countries that serve as a bridge between Europe and Africa. Algeria is a gateway to Africa; it plays a key role in stabilising the Sahel and, for our part, Mr President, the Spain-Africa Strategy 2025-2028, approved by the Government of Spain, reflects Spain's commitment to strengthening ties with the African continent.

And, in turn, Spain is a gateway to Europe, and for me it is a priority to strengthen the European Union's relations with our Mediterranean neighbours because I am, we in Spain are convinced that only by working together can we successfully tackle the challenges that most concern our societies, such as the cost of living, security and the climate emergency that our societies are currently facing, particularly in the Mediterranean.

In an international context characterised by significant geopolitical challenges, I believe that cooperation and understanding between our countries are essential for promoting peace, security and sustainable development in our region.

Dear President, to conclude, I would like to reiterate the importance Spain attaches to its relationship with Algeria. I believe we are at the starting point of a new phase in all areas of our relationship. And I would like to convey to the Algerian people, through the media and in your presence, President Tebboune, that Algeria can count on Spain.

Algeria is a key partner for us because of its proximity; its threefold identity as an Arab, Maghrebi, and African nation; its Mediterranean outlook; its extraordinary geostrategic weight; the importance of our economic ties; and - as you have mentioned repeatedly this morning - the dynamism of its young population. But also, and above all, because of the friendship that binds us and that will always bind our societies together.

And for all these reasons, we are determined to continue working and moving forward together with Algeria.

Thank you very much.

(Transcript edited by the State Secretariat for Communication)

Original speech in Spanish

Non official translation