France to support Algeria WTO bid

France will support Algeria’s accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the implementation of a free trade agreement with the European Union. The French Minister of External Trade, Nicole Bricq, announced on Tuesday that a Franco-Algerian economic committee will be established to combine the work of both countries. Bricq confirmed it would be a continuation of the work of former Prime Minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin. “It will be a means to provide support for the accession of Algeria to the WTO” she said during a meeting of the two countries. In the meeting, held under the theme of developing partnerships, Bricq expressed satisfaction with the quality of the economic relationship between the two countries. Trade exchange has recently reached 10.3 billion euros, exceeding previous records. To maintain “excellence” the French minister called for the diversification of trade and increasing support for the business community.