MOSCOW, June 14. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to hold talks with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on June 15, and both leaders will address the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 16, Yury Ushakov, an aide to the Russian president, told reporters on Wednesday.

"Tomorrow, the main part of the state visit of the Algerian president will take place in Moscow, full-length negotiations at the highest level," the Kremlin aide said.

Ushakov pointed out that the two presidents "will sign a declaration on a stepped-up strategic partnership between Russia and Algeria."

"This will mark the start of a new, hopefully more advanced period in bilateral relations," Ushakov said, adding that during the Algerian president’s state visit, "nine bilateral documents will be inked."

"Algeria’s president is expected to be in St. Petersburg on Friday to attend, alongside our leader, the SPIEF plenary session and deliver a speech there," the Russian presidential aide said.

Ushakov pointed out that a state visit, which has the highest status in diplomatic protocol, implies a busy program.

"Algeria’s president arrived in Moscow last night. Today he is meeting with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, [Speakers of the two houses of Russia’s parliament] Valentina Matviyenko and Vyacheslav Volodin, and is attending the Russian-Algerian business forum," Ushakov said, adding that Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev, Russian co-chair of the bilateral intergovernmental commission, is due to accompany the Algerian president during his visit.

"Later in the day, it is planned to unveil a pocket park in Moscow in honor of Algerian national hero Emir Abd al-Qadir, in which the Algerian leader will take part," the Russian presidential aide said. "The Algerian side considers this event to be of major importance," Ushakov added that a stone would be laid in the pocket park in order to later serve as the foundation for the monument to the Algerian hero.

Russian-Algerian relations

Ushakov pointed out that Algeria is Russia’s third largest trade partner in Africa, following Egypt and Morocco. In 2022, trade amounted to $1.7 billion, skyrocketing by 73.7% in January-March, 2023. Bilateral trade in agricultural goods and food doubled, exceeding $700 million, in 2022.

The Kremlin aide named energy and the pharmaceutical industry among other areas of cooperation, recalling that one million doses of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine were provided to Algeria, exports of anticancer drugs have started, and insulin is now produced on Algerian soil with Russia’s participation.

Ushakov pointed out that "particular importance is traditionally paid to humanitarian ties, and Russia facilitates the training of skilled professionals for Algeria." Throughout the years of cooperation, about 19,000 Algerian specialists in a wide range of fields have been trained, while about 1,500 students from Algeria are currently receiving education at Russian universities.

"At the talks, we plan to exchange views on pressing international issues, focusing on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa," Ushakov said, emphasizing that "Russian-Algerian coordination in multilateral formats and organizations, including in the UN, is underway, taking into account the election of Algeria as a non-permanent member to the [UN] Security Council for 2024-2025."

"Productive joint work within OPEC+ and the Gas Exporting Countries Forum has been on track," the Kremlin representative added.

"Our countries’ stands are either similar or the same, or very close on most international problems," the presidential aide said, underscoring that "the talks will also touch upon the general framework of Russian-African relations, with the summit, due to be held in late July, in mind."

"Various issues of the Ukraine crisis will be discussed as well," Ushakov concluded.