Algeria, Mali discuss security cooperation

Algeria and Mali have expressed willingness to “intensify” their cooperation in the fight against insecurity, terrorism and the organized cross-border crime, notably as part of the Nouakchott Process, said Tuesday a communiqué following the 11th session of the Algerian-Malian Bilateral Strategic Committee on Northern Mali.
The communiqué signed following the Committee proceedings, co-chaired by Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ramtane Lamamra and his Malian counterpart Abdoulaye Diop, renewed the two parties attachment to implement the decision of the African Union leaders on the creation of an African Force for the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region.
In this respect, the two parties called on the UN and the International Community to provide their “full backing” to this decision.
They also urged the UN Security Council to take the necessary measures to reinforce MINUSMA mandate and supply it with suitable means so to adjust it to the security context which threatens the peace and security of the whole region, and my spread to its neighbors.
The communiqué said that Algeria and Mali “encourage the parties to fully invest in the fulfillment of the common objective of reaching lasting and final peace in Mali and thus tackling the difficult task of promoting development in the northern region and throughout the territory.”
Indeed, they urged the international players to “pursue the mobilization of the political and technical support necessary for the success of the agreement operationalization.”
The two countries have also examined the means to reinforce the bilateral cooperation in the economic, cultural and security fields.
Algeria and Mali committed to convene the 12th session of the High Joint Committee of Cooperation in Bamako, under the co-chairmanship of the two Prime Ministers.