General Saïd Chanegriha, Chief of Staff of People’s National Army received in audience, this past Tuesday, 25th July 2023, at People’s National Army General Staff Headquarters, the Italian Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, during his visit to Algeria at the head of a large military delegation.

The welcoming ceremony began with the salute of the national flag, followed by the military salute presented to the host by a military formation, representing the various Forces of PNA, the Algerian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The meeting was attended by the Commanders of Forces and the National Gendarmerie, Chiefs of Departments and Central Directors of the Ministry of National Defence and of People’s National Army General Staff, as well as members of the Italian military delegation.

After welcoming the Italian military delegation, General Chanegriha underlined that the Algerian-Italian relations are imbued with a mutual trust sealed thanks to several decades of positive and constructive cooperation, based on the common regional history and the aspiration to serve the interests of the two peoples and to strengthen peace and security in the Mediterranean.

“This visit comes within the framework visits exchanges between Algeria and Italy, which reflect the quality of bilateral relations in the various fields, and reflect the political will of the leaders of the two countries to promote a strategic partnership by excellence,” General Chanegriha said.

“These relations are imbued with a mutual trust sealed by several decades of positive and constructive cooperation, based on our common regional history and our Mediterranean values, as well as the aspiration to serve the interests of our two peoples and to strengthen peace and security in the Mediterranean,” he stressed.

“Indeed, the Algerian-Italian bonds do not date from yesterday, but from more than two thousand years ago, witness the historical events and the honorary positions of the two countries, like the support given by Italian personalities to our revolution and the alignment of the Italian state and its institutions alongside the Algerian people in their fight against barbaric terrorism and extremism during the nineties of the past century,” he added.

General Chanegriha also stressed that the military cooperation between Algeria and Italy is excellent, given the progress made and the will of the leaders of the two countries to promote it constantly.

“Military cooperation between Algeria and Italy is excellent, given the progress made and the will of the leaders of the two countries to promote it constantly. This clearly proves that we are bound by a solid and trusting partnership that we must diversify further to extend it to other areas, which correspond to our common priorities,” he concluded.

At the end of the meeting, there was an exchange of symbolic gifts between the two sides and the signing, by the Italian Chief of Defence Staff, the guest book People’s National Army General Staff. (Source & Photo © Algerian Ministry of Defense)