ALGIERS / Abbas Mimouni / Anadolu Agency

Algeria and Germany signed a new natural gas supply agreement on Thursday, a step aimed at strengthening the partnership between the two countries in the energy sector.

This took place on the sidelines of the official visit by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to Germany, according to the official Algerian news agency.

The agency said the agreement was signed between the Algerian state-owned company Sonatrach and the German company VNG.

The agreement was signed by Sonatrach CEO Noureddine Daoudi and VNG Board Chairman Ulf Heitmüller.

The signing ceremony was supervised by Algerian Minister of State, Minister of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energies Mohamed Arkab, and German State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy Franz Wietzel.

Arkab said the agreement "crowns a long path of trust and cooperation between Sonatrach and VNG" and reflects the strength of the partnership between the two companies, affirming Algeria's status as a "reliable and secure energy supplier."

He added that the agreement represents a "new milestone" in the strategic relations between Algeria and Germany and expresses the "shared will to strengthen cooperation in the hydrocarbons sector, thereby supporting energy security and the stability of gas markets."

The Algerian minister pointed out that the two sides look forward to expanding cooperation by preparing a joint action plan, including intensifying consultations and exploring new investment opportunities in the hydrocarbons sector, particularly natural gas, to enhance production, marketing and supply security.

For his part, Franz Wietzel praised Algeria's "pivotal role" in the global energy market, considering it a "reliable partner" and confirming it is the second largest gas supplier to Europe.

He added that the agreement "opens new horizons for cooperation" between Algeria and Germany.

Neither Algerian nor German authorities disclosed the duration of the agreement or the volumes of gas covered.

On Wednesday, Sonatrach announced the delivery of its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipment to Germany, as part of a strategy aimed at diversifying its exports and strengthening its presence in international markets.

The company said in a statement that the shipment was delivered on July 2 to the floating regasification unit "Wilhelmshaven 1" in Germany.

An official source at Sonatrach confirmed to Anadolu that this is the first LNG shipment ever delivered by the company to Germany.

The source noted that Sonatrach has been supplying Germany with quantities of natural gas via the pipeline linking Algeria to Italy since 2024, but this LNG shipment is the first in the company's history.