Courtesy Call on Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs MATSUMOTO by Mr. Toufik MILAT Ambassador-Designate of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria to Japan
At the outset, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Matsumoto welcomed the arrival of Ambassador-Designate Milat who has extensive experiences. He then expressed his will to continue discussion to further strengthen bilateral relations to develop bilateral economic cooperation in various areas, based on the first meeting of the Japan-Algeria Intergovernmental Joint Economic Committee held in May.
In response, Ambassador-Designate Milat expressed his aspiration to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, including economy.
Both sides concurred to continue actively exchanging high-level visits between the two countries, and to cooperate in advancing Japan-Algeria relations in various fields, including economy and diplomacy.
He also expressed his desire to continue discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, building on the multifaceted development of economic cooperation, including the first Joint Economic Committee held in May.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
South Africa: Presidency on preparations for National Convention of National Dialogue
In preparation for the first National Convention of the National Dialogue process, President Cyril Ramaphosa met on Thursday 7 August 2025 with representatives of the interim Preparatory Task Team (PTT), which has been given the responsibility of organising the convention and preparing for the public dialogues that will take place thereafter. At the meeting, the representatives reported to the President that the members of the PTT were divided on a number of issues, including the state of readiness of the PTT to deliver the National Convention as scheduled to take place on 15 August 2025. Members of the PTT representing some of the Foundations involved in the initial planning of the National Dialogue argued that the National Convention should be postponed to a later date. President Ramaphosa said he understood the National Convention to be a call to action for citizens to lead an inclusive dialogue on the challenges facing the country. 'Ever since we announced the date of the first National Convention, South Africans from all parts of society have been getting ready to take part in the local conversations that will follow. There is a great desire to get involved and be heard.' President Ramaphosa said that although challenges have been experienced, it was essential that the first National Convention proceed on 15 August 2025. 'The National Convention must happen so that South Africa's people can take ownership and control of the National Dialogue. Invitations have gone out to organisations across the country and delegates are preparing themselves to attend the convention. It is at the National Convention that the people of South Africa will take over and run with the National Dialogue process,' he said. As a consequence of the divisions within the PTT and the decision to proceed with the National Convention as scheduled, some of the Foundations have indicated that they would step back from organising the event and participation in the PTT. They told the President they nevertheless remained committed to the National Dialogue process and would continue to encourage participation. President Ramaphosa expressed appreciation for the role played by the Foundations in initiating, championing and driving the National Dialogue. While he expressed regret at their withdrawal from this part of the preparations, he was encouraged by their intention to continue to play a meaningful role in the National Dialogue as it unfolds. On Friday 8 August 2025, the President met with the co-chairs, deputy chairs and the secretary of the Eminent Persons Group. These are prominent South Africans who have accepted appointment by the President as volunteers who will use their standing and expertise to act as guarantors of the National Dialogue. The meeting with the leadership of the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) reflected broadly on progress towards the National Convention. The EPG emphasised the need for the inclusivity and credibility of the National Dialogue process. They also called for more effective coordination, governance as well as improved communication. 'The National Dialogue is a once in a lifetime opportunity to bring all South Africans together to resolve our challenges and build a better future. The Eminent Persons Group stands ready to play its part in making this a reality,' said Prof Tinyiko Maluleke, co-chairperson of the Eminent Persons Group. Above all, the EPG members reaffirmed their commitment to voluntarily use their influence and expertise to ensure that the first National Convention laid a firm foundation for an inclusive and vibrant national conversation. The first National Convention, which will bring together 200 organisations from 33 different sectors, will kickstart the National Dialogue process, by among others: ▪ Endorsing the need for and value of a National Dialogue ▪ Outlining key themes for discussion in the National Dialogue process ▪ Agreeing on the approach and modalities for the public dialogues ▪ Finalising the establishment of a broadly representative Steering Committee to coordinate the implementation of the National Dialogue going forward The National Convention will be a call to action for citizens to lead an inclusive dialogue on the challenges facing the country. The National Dialogue itself will take the form of public dialogues in localities and within various sectors across the country. To this end and in light of the difficulties within the PTT, the convention organising team has been reorganised and is being reinforced by various social partners and civil society formations. This will ensure that the National Convention is successfully held from 15 August 2025 and the National Dialogue process can begin. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Government.
Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
West Africa: Visit of Mr. Adedeji Ebo, director and deputy to the high representative for disarmament affairs United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA)
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission jointly issue this communiqué following the official visit of Mr. Adedeji Ebo, Director and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), to the ECOWAS Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. UNREC is UNODA's Regional Centre for Africa. The visit served as a renewed demonstration of the United Nations' steadfast support to regional mechanisms for peace, security, development and arms control in West Africa. It marked a significant milestone in the broadening and deepening collaboration between UNODA—through UNREC—and ECOWAS on disarmament, arms control and regional peace and security priorities towards a culture of peace. During the visit, Mr. Ebo held strategic consultations with the ECOWAS President H.E Dr Omar Alieu Touray, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, H.E. Ambassador Dr Abdel-Fatau Musah, as well as with senior leadership of the ECOWAS Department of Political Affairs Peace and Security. Discussions focused on reviewing the 2009 ECOWAS-UNODA Memorandum of Understanding in order to align it with current peace and security challenges in the sub-region. Topics included advancing the implementation of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and tackling persistent and emerging threats in the region, including illicit arms flows, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), drones, and autonomous weapons systems. The visit was also marked by the holding of a joint UNREC – ECOWAS Regional strategic workshop on gender mainstreaming in Small Arms control in West Africa in efforts to raise awareness and enhance the capacity of West African countries to effectively address gender-specific issues in SALW control and incorporate youth participation into programs. UNREC and ECOWAS agreed to explore options for a strategic reconfiguration of the ECOWAS Small Arms Division to broaden its scope beyond SALW. The entities also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening regional frameworks and initiatives—including the ECOWAS Convention on SALW, the Nairobi Protocol, and the African Union's Silencing the Guns initiative—through enhanced coordination and technical support. UNREC and ECOWAS will also collaborate to provide tailored assistance to national stakeholders, leveraging and contextualizing existing tools for addressing small arms and ammunition, disarmament education platforms, and facilitating access to capacity-building programs. Mr. Ebo commended ECOWAS Commission for its leadership in promoting peace and disarmament across the region and reiterated UNODA's commitment to supporting ECOWAS Member States in building technical capacity, reinforcing legal frameworks, and advancing inclusive, evidence-based policy responses. Considering recent peace and security developments in the region, both Mr Ebo and H.E. Ambassador Dr Abdel-Fatau Musah reiterated commitment to the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Convention on SALW, particularly its provisions related to cross-border arms control cooperation, harmonized legislative standards, and regional monitoring mechanisms. Dr. Musah cited the expanding terrorism in the region, as well as intercommunal violence and banditry as phenomena that highlight the imperative of heightened arms control as a priority. UNODA and ECOWAS reaffirmed the continued relevance of the Convention and agreed to explore pragmatic pathways for inclusive dialogue and cooperation with all West African stakeholders to uphold collective security and reduce the risk of arms proliferation in West Africa. Furthermore, UNODA expressed its readiness to support the ECOWAS Commission, through UNREC, in initiating a review and update of the ECOWAS Convention on SALW to reflect new developments in the security landscape. This includes incorporating provisions on growing threats such as the trafficking of ammunition and the implementation of the Global Framework on Through-Life Ammunition Management (GFA), weaponization of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), cyber-enabled arms flows, and the challenges posed by emerging technologies, science, and innovation in weapon systems. The parties acknowledged the need to ensure the Convention remains responsive, comprehensive and effective in addressing the evolving nature of arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament in West Africa. Both entities agreed to strengthen joint operations and advocacy, while exploring innovative strategies to integrate disarmament into broader peacebuilding and sustainable development agendas in West Africa. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Zawya
4 hours ago
- Zawya
Egypt: President El-Sisi Meets Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs
Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, Hakan Fidan. The meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, Dr. Badr Abdel-Atty. Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, stated that the Turkish Minister conveyed the greetings of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to the President. President El-Sisi appreciated this gesture, and emphasized the importance of continuing to work on strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. In this regard, President El-Sisi highlighted the qualitative development in the Egyptian-Turkish relations, particularly after the signing of the Joint Declaration in February 2024 to reactivate the meetings of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and elevate them to the level of the two countries' presidents. The two sides confirmed the necessity to boost economic cooperation between Egypt and Türkiye. The aim is to reach a trade volume of $15 billion, as agreed upon during President El-Sisi's visit to Ankara in September 2024. They also stressed the significance of expanding the participation of Turkish companies in investment projects within Egypt. The meeting also tackled the developments in a number of regional issues, primarily the situation in the Gaza Strip. Both sides affirmed their rejection of a military re-occupation of the Strip. They reiterated the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the entry of humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages and captives. The two sides reaffirmed their rejection of the displacement of Palestinians. The two sides also reviewed developments in Libya, Syria, and Sudan. President El-Sisi outlined Egypt's vision for achieving peace and stability in these brotherly countries, and its efforts in this regard. The importance of respecting the sovereignty of these countries, and preserving their territorial integrity and the resources of their people were underscored. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
