Algerian envoy promises scholarships

NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent | Friday July 16, 2010 00:00

Messahel has been on an African tour starting Monday. At the end of his tour Mehassel is expected to have visited Lesotho, Botswana and Tanzania.

Adressing journalists yesterday, Messahel said that there is a need to strengthen African peoples bilateral relations. Algeria was one of the main key players in assisting some African countries with arms during the apartheid era.

Messahel, however, said that Africa has got other challenges that need to immediate attention. He said currently the world is faced with the global warming pandemic, which has been caused by Western countries.

'We are not responsible for global warming but we are suffering,' he said. Messahel said African states need to cooperate and support Africa's position of demanding compensation from the Western countries.

'We need to negotiate as Africans to defend Africa's position in this matter,' he said. Currently 10 African leaders have been appointed to represent Africa in the matter.

Messahel also met the Deputy Speaker for the National Assembly, Pono Moathodi, during his visit. He said that Botswana and Algeria have a long history of assisting each other during times of need.

'Algeria was supplying Botswana's oil at some point and Botswana has also helped Algeria financially before,' he said.

Similar to Botswana, most of Algeria is desert. The Sahara Desert covers more than 90 percent of the region. Messahel said it is necessary for Botswana and Algeria to cooperate because both countries can put in place strategies to overcome the desert problem.

'We have universities and laboratories where experienced personnel from both countries can collaborate and exchange expertise,' he said. Messahel said they will increase scholarships for Botswana students.

He promised to follow up on every matter regarding the relationship of the two states. 'We have to be pragmatic and not just agree upon certain things and not mobilise them,' he said.

Algeria and Botswana have five memoranda of agreement including the creation of joint agreement and trade cooperation, trade and investment, political consultation between the ministers of foreign affairs and the voiding of double taxation.

Algeria is located in the northern part of Africa some 6,500 kilometres from Botswana. Algeria is the second largest country in Africa with an area of almost 2,400,000 square kilometres and an estimated population of about 35.7 million people.

Algeria has one of the best education systems in Africa. There are 43 universities, 10 colleges, and seven institutes for higher learning. Algeria also ranks 14 in petroleum reserves, containing more than 11.8 billion barrels of proven oil reserves.