Algerians celebrate 55th anniversary of independence

Kanupriya Kapoor ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 11/03/2009 1:07 PM  |  World

The Algerian community celebrated Monday their national day at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Central Jakarta with noted Indonesian dignitaries, members of the diplomatic corps, and prominent members of the business community in attendance.

The North African country, the majority of whose 35-million-strong population is Muslim, marked the 55th anniversary of the start of their war of independence against French colonists.

In an inspiring speech, the outgoing Algerian Ambassador to Indonesia, Hamza Yahia-Cherif, recounted the historic day for his country.

"Twenty-one men met somewhere in Algeria.and decided to say *enough' to colonialism, *proving that* if there is a will, there is a way. It was this spirit that I brought with me to Indonesia," he said, as he explained the memorandum of understanding between the two countries that is meant to make Bandung and Setif sister cities.

Among those who had gathered to bid farewell to Hamza were the speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly, Taufik Kiemas, Coordinating Minister for the People's Welfare Agung Laksono, Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal, Foreign Ministry Director General for Asia Pacific and African Affairs Hamzah Thayeb and Director General for Protocol and Consular Affairs Lutfi Rauf.

Typical North African and Mediterranean delicacies awaited the guests, including an abundance of figs and dates, cous-cous and pita bread. The baba ganoush and dip was a special favorite among the guests, who also enjoyed a free flow of soft drinks.

The rising number of Indonesians visiting Algeria reflects increasingly dynamic relations between the two nations in various aspects.

Trade volume between Indonesia and Algeria had increased from US$216 million in 2004 to $431 million in 2008, Yahia-Cherif said.

An oil-rich country, Algeria had laid out $150 billion worth of infrastructure projects and invited foreign companies to carry out these projects. State-owned construction company Wijaya Karya (WIKA) has already taken part in a massive project by building 110 kilometers of a 1,050-kilometer highway that Algeria is currently developing.

"WIKA is the first, but definitely not the last," Yahia-Cherif said, adding that he wished more Indonesian construction companies would bid for the projects - including the building of one million houses, 10 ports, six airports, 3,000 kilometers of railway, and also school and health facilities.

The Algerian government was pleased with WIKA's work and had begun to pay more attention to Indonesian enterprises, Yahia-Cherif said.

Indonesia is also part of Algerian history. It was one of the first nations to lend its full support to Algeria in its struggle against French colonial powers. The people-to-people contact between the two nations had begun even before the official diplomatic relations had.

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