Samar Yahya Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — The 59th Glorious Revolution of Algeria was celebrated by the Algerian Consulate General at a ceremony at Jeddah Hilton Hall Sunday. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Makkah Region represented by Chief of Protocol Dr. Mohammad Nabil Bukhari, senior officials, consuls general and ambassadors of several Arab and non-Arab countries, prominent Saudi figures and officials of international and regional organizations based here attended the event. The ceremony began with the Algerian and Saudi national anthems followed by a welcome speech by Algerian Consul General Saleh Atiyah. Atiyah paid tribute to the martyrs, commemorating the heavy sacrifices paid by Algerian people for the liberation of Algeria and commended the solidarity with the Algerians by Saudis. "Today, we will commemorate this event and remember the glorious sacrifice made by the Algerian people to gain freedom and independence in order to live in the space of freedom, dignity and glory. One and a half million of its best people sacrificed their lives through a century and a half of continuous and deadly strive, which witnessed the caravans of martyrs who built the path of freedom not only for Algerians, but for all liberation movements all over the world," he said. Atiyah added: "We as Algerians and all other Arab brothers shall remember that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was one of the first supporters of the revolution of one million and half martyrs. Such support will remain as an evidence of solidarity between the people of Algeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." He also commended the noticeable progress in the Saudi-Algerian relations in all domains, especially in the economic and investment fields. He wished that the bilateral relations would reach a level that would satisfy the expectations of the governments and people of both countries. By the end of 2012, Saudi investments in Algeria would reache SR.3.5 billion in pharmacological, cement, mineral, paper and chemical fields. The consul general highlighted the developments which are currently in progress in Algeria due to the implementation of a five-year plan at the cost of $300 billion. Atiyah also mentioned the reforms announced by President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika, which aims to strengthen the democratic path and preserve freedom by supporting political multiparty, media, and administrative decentralizing. Atiyah also reviewed the leading political and diplomatic role of Algeria in both regional and international field, thanks to the wise diplomacy of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on African, Arab-Islamic and Euro-Mediterranean level.
