Official Statement of MND
26th August 2022
General Saïd CHANEGRIHA, Chief of Staff of PNA, receives in audience Mr. Sebastien LECORNU, Minister of the French Armed Forces
General Saïd CHANEGRIHA, Chief of Staff of People's National Army, received in audience, this Friday, 26th August 2022, at People's National Army headquarters, Mr. Sebastien LECORNU, Minister of the French Armed Forces accompanied by General Thierry BURKHARD, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, on the sidelines of French President Emmanuel MACRON’s visit to Algeria.
The welcoming ceremony was initiated with the greeting of the national emblem, and the presentation of military honours to the guest, by formations from the different Forces of People’s National Army.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of National Defence, the Commanders of Forces and the National Gendarmerie, the General Officers of the Ministry of National Defence and the People’s National Army Staff and the members of the French military delegation, took part in this meeting.
After welcoming the French delegation, the General stressed at this meeting that this visit will be a pivotal stage in the process of mutual understanding between the two parties, inspired by the political will of the Presidents of both countries:
“First of all, I would like to welcome you to People’s National Army headquarters, as well as to the August delegation that accompanies you, while hoping that your visit will be profitable and fruitful.
This visit will allow us to exchange, in an honest and pragmatic manner, our views on current subjects, as well as topics of common interest to both parties.
Indeed, these topics have evolved further in recent years, in view of the expansion of the terrorist threat in Africa in general and in the Sahel-Saharan region in particular.
The evolution of this threat has also increased cross-border’s organized crime, of which drug and arms trafficking, human trafficking and smuggling are the main criminal activities, proliferating in collusion with terrorist organizations.
Furthermore, I trust that your visit today will be a pivotal stage in the process of mutual understanding between our two institutions, inspired by the political will of the Presidents of the two countries.
Adding to this, the interest of the two parties in preserving and consolidating the achievements in the Western Mediterranean in maritime security, in particular the efforts made in the area of bilateral cooperation to bring it up to the expected level.”
With a view to diversifying bilateral cooperation activities, the General proposed to conduct a joint reflection, to the effect of determining the opportunities offered, within the framework of a renewed cooperation agreement:
“With regard to the diversification of our bilateral cooperation activities, I propose to conduct a joint reflection, to the effect of identifying the opportunities offered and the most appropriate areas for their realization.
As such, this dynamic would be better placed in the framework of a renewed cooperation agreement, which will define the objectives to be achieved in this area, and will mark the process of practical dimension that will be determined by the experts of both parties.”
For his part, Mr. Sebastien LECORNU praised Algeria’s important and pivotal role in the region, stressing that it is ready to promote bilateral military cooperation at its expected level.
At the end of the meeting, the two parties exchanged symbolic gifts, before Mr. Sebastien LECORNU proceeded to the signing of the guestbook of People’s National Army Staff.
The welcoming ceremony was initiated with the greeting of the national emblem, and the presentation of military honours to the guest, by formations from the different Forces of People’s National Army.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of National Defence, the Commanders of Forces and the National Gendarmerie, the General Officers of the Ministry of National Defence and the People’s National Army Staff and the members of the French military delegation, took part in this meeting.
After welcoming the French delegation, the General stressed at this meeting that this visit will be a pivotal stage in the process of mutual understanding between the two parties, inspired by the political will of the Presidents of both countries:
“First of all, I would like to welcome you to People’s National Army headquarters, as well as to the August delegation that accompanies you, while hoping that your visit will be profitable and fruitful.
This visit will allow us to exchange, in an honest and pragmatic manner, our views on current subjects, as well as topics of common interest to both parties.
Indeed, these topics have evolved further in recent years, in view of the expansion of the terrorist threat in Africa in general and in the Sahel-Saharan region in particular.
The evolution of this threat has also increased cross-border’s organized crime, of which drug and arms trafficking, human trafficking and smuggling are the main criminal activities, proliferating in collusion with terrorist organizations.
Furthermore, I trust that your visit today will be a pivotal stage in the process of mutual understanding between our two institutions, inspired by the political will of the Presidents of the two countries.
Adding to this, the interest of the two parties in preserving and consolidating the achievements in the Western Mediterranean in maritime security, in particular the efforts made in the area of bilateral cooperation to bring it up to the expected level.”
With a view to diversifying bilateral cooperation activities, the General proposed to conduct a joint reflection, to the effect of determining the opportunities offered, within the framework of a renewed cooperation agreement:
“With regard to the diversification of our bilateral cooperation activities, I propose to conduct a joint reflection, to the effect of identifying the opportunities offered and the most appropriate areas for their realization.
As such, this dynamic would be better placed in the framework of a renewed cooperation agreement, which will define the objectives to be achieved in this area, and will mark the process of practical dimension that will be determined by the experts of both parties.”
For his part, Mr. Sebastien LECORNU praised Algeria’s important and pivotal role in the region, stressing that it is ready to promote bilateral military cooperation at its expected level.
At the end of the meeting, the two parties exchanged symbolic gifts, before Mr. Sebastien LECORNU proceeded to the signing of the guestbook of People’s National Army Staff.
