Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Regional Development Mladjan Dinkic will lead a state business delegation to Algeria, from 2 to 4 March.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy, Dinkic will meet with Algeria's Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia. He will also hold bilateral meetings with Algerian government ministers and other functionaries.

Dinkic will discuss bilateral cooperation with Algerian officials concerning water resources, public works, energy, health and education.

More than 60 representatives of leading Serbian businesses are part of the delegation, from various sectors including the building, pharmaceuticals, energy, food and arms industries.

The delegation includes representatives from top Serbian companies, including Jugoimport, Hidrotehnika, Energoprojekt, Mihajlo Pupin Institute, Hemofarm, Galenkia, Jugoremedija, Koncern Bambi, IMT, Centroproizvod, Putvei Uzice and Simpo.

As one of the richest North African countries, Algeria plans to start an investment cycle of $150 billion over the next four years and this visit could open up important business opportunities for Serbian companies.

A business forum will also be held during the visit at which businesspeople from the two countries will be able to discuss future cooperation.

Defence Minister Dragan Sutnaovc, Minister of Youth and Sport Snezana Samardzic-Markovic, Governor of the National Bank of Serbia Radovan Jelasic, representatives of the Serbian

Chamber of Commerce, the Serbian Investment and Export Promotion Agency, the Serbian Export Credit and Insurance Agency and Komercijalna Banka will also travel to Algeria.

Sutanovac will discuss ways of improving bilateral military cooperation. Samardzic-Markovic and Jelasic will hold meetings with their Algerian counterparts.

Each institution will cover the travel expenses and air fare for their representatives in the delegation. Members of the business community will bear all personal travel costs. Expenses in Algeria will be covered by the hosts.

During the delegation’s stay in Algeria a friendly football match will be played between the Serbian and Algerian national teams.