Speaker Abbas, Algerian Counterpart Sign MoU On Parliamentary Exchange, Democracy, Others

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the People’s National Assembly of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.

The MoU seeks to establish strong parliamentary exchanges, strengthen democracy, rule of law, and other legislative interventions mutually beneficial to Nigeria and Algeria.

Speaker Abbas signed the MoU with the Speaker of the People’s National Assembly of Algeria, upon his arrival in Algiers for a working visit on Monday.

The MoU was signed “based on the historical bonds of friendship between the Algerian and Nigerian peoples, as well as their shared values and principles.”

The two parliaments reached the agreement, “recognising the importance the parties attach to strengthening the friendly and close relations between the two parliamentary bodies.”

Both parties also reaffirmed the commitment of both parliaments to “promoting democracy and the rule of law, guided by the principles and rules of international law, and the Charter and principles of the African Union, with a view to promoting exchanges in the legal field and other parliamentary activities.”

The bilateral agreements in the MoU partly read, “The parties shall contribute to strengthening parliamentary cooperation between the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria and the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a view to developing relations between the two countries in the future.

“The parties shall work actively to strengthen parliamentary cooperation through exchanges of official visits and coordination between parliamentary committees of both countries; ensuring parliamentary support for development programs between the parties; establishing a joint framework for parliamentary support and capacity building; exchanging expertise and knowledge; and encouraging the implementation of various development programmes.”

The Nigerian House and the People’s National Assembly also agreed that both parliaments “shall exchange information on legislative activities and parliamentary procedures and shall work to strengthen communication between the parliamentary committees of both parties to share experiences and expertise relating to law-making, parliamentary oversight, administrative management, and the financing of parliamentary activities.”

While both parties in the agreement resolved to encourage the two Parliamentary Friendship Groups—‘Algeria–Nigeria’ and ‘Nigeria–Algeria’—to prepare a joint action plan and to support them in its implementation, they also agreed to establish a Joint Parliamentary Committee ‘Algeria–Nigeria.’

The joint committee is to serve as the “preferred framework for consultation and cooperation between the parliamentarians of the two institutions, pursuant to an annex defining the committee’s rules of procedure and functioning.”

On the basis of the principles of partnership, friendship, and mutual support, the Nigerian and Algerian Parliaments agreed to “intensify cooperation within international parliamentary organisations in which they hold membership.”

Both parties “shall, to the extent possible, undertake joint initiatives on issues of common interest and lay the foundations for consultation and coordination in the meetings of regional and international parliamentary bodies, particularly the Pan-African Parliament, the African Parliamentary Union, and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.”

Earlier, Speaker Abbas laid a wreath at the Martyrs’ Memorial to pay tribute to the souls of Algerian heroes.

Meanwhile, Speaker Abbas is also scheduled to meet with the Algerian Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad, and African Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Attaf.

The Nigerian Speaker is also billed to meet with the Algerian Minister of State, Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mines, Mr. Mohamed Arkab.

Also on Speaker Abbas’ itinerary is a meeting with the Algerian Minister of Energy and Renewable Energies, Mr. Mourad Adjal.