Korea and Algeria are going to cooperate on restoring Algerian forests and modernizing its parks. The Korea Forest Service hosted the first Korea-Algeria Forestry Cooperative Committee at the Korea National Arboretum on September 23. Algerian Director General of Forests Mohamed Seghir Noual was present at this meeting, the first forestry cooperative meeting held after the Korea Forest Service and the Algerian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development signed a cooperative agreement in 2012.

The Korea Forest Service signed a cooperation agreement on forest restoration and sustainability with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on June 23. As part of that, it has been supporting reforestation projects in the northern African nation.



At the meeting, the two partners discussed ways to modernize the Ben Aknoun park, to conduct joint research into wild plants and the preservation of seeds, and to share their experiences and technology in handling forest fires. Finally, Korea also agreed to support Algeria with its reforestation experience and technology.

The Korean side wanted Algeria to allow Korean companies to participate in modernizing the Ben Aknoun park while Algeria wanted to share Korea's experiences in creating forested areas in major cities and arboretums. Algeria also asked for Korea's support in restoring a cork oak tree forest across 300,000 hectares of its northern territory and in its semi-desert greenbelt region, a project that continues until 2019. Both sides agreed to hold working-level meetings as soon as possible so that they can pursue actual cooperation on reforestation.

"Cooperation on reforestation in Algeria is only the beginning, and Korea's experience and technology would be very useful in modernizing the Ben Aknoun park and in restoring destroyed forests," said an official from the Korea Forest Service. "I hope that cooperation between the two countries will bear fruitful results."

By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
jun2@korea.kr