The President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune said that the "strategic" relations uniting Algeria and Italy were based on a "strong" and "transparent" friendship that dates back to the Liberation War.

These relations have continued after independence and even during the difficult trials that Algeria experienced as the black decade and the financial deficit in the early 1990s, he recalled.

In response to a question whether Italy benefited from cooling relations with Spain, the President of the Republic said that relations with these two countries were established in a "balanced way", stressing that Italy "did not benefit from the break with Spain, insofar as relations with this country cover another component of treaties, which are more strategic.

According to him, this project, previously frozen, has been re-launched, but "faces funding difficulties by the European Union (EU)".

The Head of State referred to the possibility of financing this project by Algeria and Italy under their partnership.