Prime Minister’s Envoy for Economic Partnership visits Algeria
Lord Risby, Special Envoy to Algeria for Economic Partnership, visited Algiers and Oran from 22 – 25 May 2013.
This was his fifth visit to Algeria and fourth since his appointment by the Prime Minister as Special Envoy to Algeria for Economic Partnership. This shows the UK’s commitment to building strong relationships with the Algerian Government, as both countries work to increase mutual prosperity.
Lord Risby travelled to Oran, where he viewed a brand new production line at the Unilever factory. Unilever, a British company present in Oran since 2002, already plays a significant role in the Oran and Algiers economies, employing over 400 people locally, and 800 people nationally, and producing some of the most well known brands in Algeria.
Lord Risby also formally opened a new branch of ‘Intuition; in Oran, a local franchise of an English Language school from the Linguaphone group. An example of a private company working to meet the huge demand for English language provision all over Algeria.
In Algiers, Lord Risby met his counterpart Mr Yousfi to review progress in the economic partnership between Algeria and the UK. Lord Risby also met the Minister for National Education, Mr. Baba Ahmed. Part of this meeting was to take stock of the progress being made between the Ministry of National education and the British Council in promoting the English language.
The focus of the British Council’s work is currently to reopen an English Language Teaching Centre, as announced by the Prime Minister David Cameron during his visit to Algiers in January.
Speaking after the visit, British Ambassador to Algeria, Mr Martyn Roper, said
We have some exciting opportunities in the months ahead to form lasting partnerships between British and Algerian companies and institutions. The UK is dedicated to working in partnership with Algeria, and I am pleased Lord Risby visited again to build on the momentum of the Prime Minister’s visit in January.