The Right Honourable Michaël Jean, Governor General of Canada has paid a four-day state visit to Algeria at the invitation of Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of the Algerian Republic (from 19 th to 22 nd of November 2006).

The first visit to Algeria by a Governor General of Canada was also a first for Mrs. Michaël Jean who made her first travel to Africa “land of her ancestors” by choosing Algiers as first step of the tour.

The visit which consecrated the excellent quality of Algerian-Canadian relationships at the political, economic and human levels, was placed under the sign of emotions through various contacts Mrs. Jean has had with the Algerian population during her different visits to the Casbah, the Algerian television ENTV, El Harrach, Tipaza and Cherchell where she received an exceptional welcome.

In one of her statements, the Governor General of Canada has paid a respected homage to all Algerians by stating that “whether in Canada or in the rest of the world, I'll show that Algeria is indeed alive”. “Here is a country that laid a bet of life, a country that bet on its active forces. You possess a beating spirit and you want for your country a space of prosperity and freedom”, she added.

A businessmen forum was held, on the sidelines of the visit, which gathered more than two hundred representatives of institutions and Algerian and Canadian companies working in the framework of cooperation between both countries.