President of the Republic Kais Saied affirmed the firm and shared determination to further foster relations binding the Tunisian and Algerian peoples, out of conviction that “only together can we overcome all kinds of challenges and look forward to a better future.”
In his speech at the opening of the 7th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) on Saturday in Algiers, the President of the Republic, who is participating as a guest of honour in this forum, said “issue of energy is among the challenges, and not the least of them, an issue that has imposed a blockade upon us and has been a hindrance at the level of exploration and prospecting, in addition to orchestrated and crazy price hikes,” adding that “whenever oil flows from a well or a gas field is discovered, ambitions increase, wars break out and blood is spilled.”
“The focus on gas was earlier in history than on oil,” he pointed out, recalling that in Tunisia, for example, the first gas organisation had been
established in the late 19th century and there had been arrangements between the occupier in that period to connect a gas network between Tunisia and Algeria.
“The will of the peoples who liberated themselves from colonialism was and is still striving to impose full sovereignty over their natural resources,” the Head of State indicated, adding that the APEC Summit is a proof and an example of this will for full control and sovereignty over natural resources.
He underlined in this regard, that “the GECF, which was founded in 2001 in Tehran, does not deviate from this context related to sovereignty over one of the most important natural resources, namely gas, and aims, as stated in its founding document, to support the sovereign rights of member States over their resources of this type of energy and their ability to independently plan and manage sustainable, effective and environmentally sensitive development rights and the use of environmental gas for the benefit of their peoples.”
He pointed out that it is
impossible to ignore here the UN General Assembly Resolution 1803 of December 14, 1962 on full sovereignty over natural resources, which states in its first paragraph that “the right of peoples and nations to permanent sovereignty over their natural wealth and resources must be exercised in the interest of their national development and of the well-being of the people of the State concerned.”
The President of the Republic also reaffirmed his full support for the people of Palestine in confronting the Zionist usurper and occupying entity which is perpetrating the most heinous crimes with all means available, until the Palestinian people recover their full and undiminished right to establish their independent State on all the land of Palestine, with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital.
He added that the Palestinian people are deprived of their sea resources, especially the gas in the Gaza Sea, estimated at 1.4 trillion cubic feet.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse