Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has on Sunday undertaken a working visit to Algeria, before travelling to Nigeria.
Zuma is expected to hold bilateral consultations with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika while in the country.
The visit takes place within the context of the historic and excellent bilateral relations that exist between South Africa and Algeria.
The two countries enjoy close bilateral cooperation through the framework of the South Africa-Algeria Bi-National Commission of Cooperation (BNC) whose work is centred on the following key areas of interaction, quality of life and human resources, people to people relations, energy and infrastructure, natural resources, defence, safety and security and trade.
Among the issues to be discussed us the convening of the Sixth Session of the BNC in South Africa and the preceding BNC Ministerial Mid-Term Review to evaluate the status of bilateral relations will be high on the agenda.
South Africa and Algeria continue to work hand in hand in building a stronger African Union and its structures.
To this end, regional developments such as the Mali and Central African Republic crises and the general security situation in the Sahel and Maghreb regions will also feature prominently in the consultations with President Bouteflika.
President Zuma will on 16 April proceed to Nigeria, where he will pay a working visit to President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja.
He is expected to meet with President Jonathan within the context of placing focus on the bilateral, regional, continental and international relations between the two countries.
A number of agreements and Memoranda of Understanding are expected to be signed during the working visit. – SAnews.gov.za
