Algeria, Benin agree to boost anti-terror cooperation

Algeria and Benin on Tuesday agreed to boost their counter-terrorism cooperation, visiting President of Benin Thomas Boni Yayi said here after meeting with his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

"We have agreed to give a new impetus to our bilateral cooperation in all fields, including maritime and air transport, electricity and gas supply to Benin, in addition to cooperation between the two nations' universities," President Boni Yayi told reporters.

Security issue was also on the agenda of their meeting, President Boni said. "Algeria pledged to share with us its experience in the fight against terrorism to help us dealing with this scourge, which constitutes a real concern for all the peoples of the sub region."

Earlier on Tuesday, Beninese Defense Minister Theophile Yaro held talks with Algerian Vice Defense Minister Army Chief of Staff Gaid Salah.

The two discussed ways to boost bilateral defense cooperation amid the growing terrorist threat in the Sahel and Sub Saharan regions.

President Thomas Boni Yayi, accompanied by several top government officials, started on Monday a three-day visit to Algeria at the invitation of Algerian President Bouteflika.

He has held several meetings with top Algerian officials including Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal and speaker of the upper house of parliament Abdelkader Bensalah. Endit