In her opening remarks, Lady Olga Maitland gave a warm welcome to the diverse guest list with many well known Algerian businessmen present together with British companies who were keen to enter Algeria.
Said Lady Olga,;’ This has been a remarkable year of achievement for Algeria as it forges ahead with huge engagement internationally and domestically opening up to foreign investment.
‘It is significant that present today are leading law firms, investors, technology and engineering companies lead by Petrofac.
“There has been a big shift in Algeria to the use of English, with not just one British school in Algiers, the British School Algiers, opened by Graham McAvoy, but another one to be opened in September, 2024 by Lotfi Ghazi, founder of the British Campus.
“We are delighted with the expansion of operations by Unilever. Their factory in Oran is now exporting overseas.
These are positive times as Algeria which I look forward with participating a d developing British interests. We have seen great changes over the 23 years we have been working in Algeria, and we welcome that.’
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My sincere thanks to Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean and Lady Olga Maitland for the opportunity to address remarks on the occasion of the Algeria Britain Business Council annual House of Lords dinner. I am sorry not to be able to join you in person due to prior commitments. The timing of this year’s ABBC dinner could not be more fortuitous. Last week I hosted my friend Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf and a delegation of representatives from the Government of Algeria for not one but two important events. Firstly the UK welcomed our Algerian counterparts to a Wilton Park event to exchange experiences and perspectives on the UN Security Council. Algeria will take up its seat as a non-permanent member of the Security Council from January 2024 and we look forward to close collaboration during its tenure. Secondly Foreign Minister Attaf and I jointly chaired the UK Algeria Strategic Dialogue at Lancaster House. A momentous occasion at which we cemented our joint commitment to building on the strong friendship between our two countries and the potential for increased cooperation and collaboration across our many areas of shared interest, as well as enhancing mutual support in tackling the regional and global challenges we collectively face. I was also delighted to be joined by my dear friend, Lord Risby, who as the UK Trade Envoy has played such an important role in strengthening bilateral relations. However, friendship between two countries extends far beyond government to government relationships and I applaud the Algeria Britain Business Council for all that you are doing to strengthen business to business connections. It was clear from our discussions at the Strategic Dialogue that we have plenty of business ties to celebrate, but that there is the potential for so much more, bringing together UK expertise and dynamism with the drive for economic diversification and opportunity in Algeria. This spans multiple sectors and with President Tebboune’s initiatives to create a positive investment environment and embed English language within primary and higher education, now is clearly the time for the UK and Algeria to explore new areas of partnership. I therefore thank the ABBC membership for all that you have achieved and urge you to continue the good work. I know that you have the energetic support and commitment of both Ambassador Noureddine Yazid in London and HMA Sharon Wardle in Algiers and I personally am looking forward to my next visit to Algeria and the opportunity to reinforce the UK Government’s aspirations for a bilateral trade relationship that grows from strength to strength. I wish you all an enjoyable evening.
Your Excellencies, Baroness Symons, Mr Yassine Bouhara, RedMed Group and friends of Algeria and the ABBC Board. Welcome. 2023 Year of achievement, as I have witnessed during my many visits to Algeria in the last 12 months. Diversity of attendance today : loyal friends, new friends, Financial services, law firms, investment, technology, English language schools and training, education at all levels, And of course our constant presence in engineering providing support for the hydrocarbon sector, lead by Petrofac present today. Of particular note M. Magramane, former ambassador here and now Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry signed an MOU with Mrs Wardle, the British ambassador to modify an agreement to permit the establishment of a second British school which will be fully operational next year, with a British curriculum. This is the initiative of Lotfi Ghazi, founder of the British Campus and well known for his well established English language school and his university consortium providing UK degrees from top universities. There is space for all. Follows on the success of Graham McAvoy who opened his British school three years ago. We are delighted with the development of Unilever, who have enlarged their factory in Oran to significantly expand their locally produced production lines and have now started to export to Qatar and Tunisia. We share the enthusiasm of Aztrazeneca and GSK as their product lines are ever growing and become an integral part of the local pharmaceutical market. Big thank you to Baroness Symons, Chairman, Arab British Chamber of Commerce, and former foreign minister. She has kindly sponsored the dinner tonight. Welcome Mrs Sharon Wardle., here for meetings of the Strategic Partnership between Algeria and UK, attended by the Algerian Foreign Minister, M. Ahmed Attaf, working closely with Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign Minister responsible for MENA REGION and beyond. This followed on a successful briefing to the business community at the Algerian Embassy which was organised in association with the ABBC. Welcome: H.E. Noureddine Yazid, a senior and distinguished diplomat, who previously served in Zimbabwe. Welcome Mr Yassine Bouhara, chairman and Founder of Tell Group, investment fund and ABBC sponsor. The Modernisation of business in Algeria and its various opportunities
My sincere thanks to Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean and Lady Olga Maitland for the opportunity to address remarks on the occasion of the Algeria Britain Business Council annual House of Lords dinner. I am sorry not to be able to join you in person due to prior commitments. The timing of this year’s ABBC dinner could not be more fortuitous. Last week I hosted my friend Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf and a delegation of representatives from the Government of Algeria for not one but two important events. Firstly the UK welcomed our Algerian counterparts to a Wilton Park event to exchange experiences and perspectives on the UN Security Council. Algeria will take up its seat as a non-permanent member of the Security Council from January 2024 and we look forward to close collaboration during its tenure. Secondly Foreign Minister Attaf and I jointly chaired the UK Algeria Strategic Dialogue at Lancaster House. A momentous occasion at which we cemented our joint commitment to building on the strong friendship between our two countries and the potential for increased cooperation and collaboration across our many areas of shared interest, as well as enhancing mutual support in tackling the regional and global challenges we collectively face. I was also delighted to be joined by my dear friend, Lord Risby, who as the UK Trade Envoy has played such an important role in strengthening bilateral relations. However, friendship between two countries extends far beyond government to government relationships and I applaud the Algeria Britain Business Council for all that you are doing to strengthen business to business connections. It was clear from our discussions at the Strategic Dialogue that we have plenty of business ties to celebrate, but that there is the potential for so much more, bringing together UK expertise and dynamism with the drive for economic diversification and opportunity in Algeria. This spans multiple sectors and with President Tebboune’s initiatives to create a positive investment environment and embed English language within primary and higher education, now is clearly the time for the UK and Algeria to explore new areas of partnership. I therefore thank the ABBC membership for all that you have achieved and urge you to continue the good work. I know that you have the energetic support and commitment of both Ambassador Noureddine Yazid in London and HMA Sharon Wardle in Algiers and I personally am looking forward to my next visit to Algeria and the opportunity to reinforce the UK Government’s aspirations for a bilateral trade relationship that grows from strength to strength. I wish you all an enjoyable evening.
