Algerian Ambassador to Belgrade Abdelkader Mesdoua recently stated that a meeting of a joint group of Algerian and Serbian entrepreneurs on 16 November will mark the beginning of a new strengthening of bilateral relations. The statement was made during a presentation Algeria a Market for Serbian Businessmen held at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Beta news agency reported. The Ambassador said that economic cooperation between Serbia and Algeria is on a high level although there is potential to increase the commodity exchange between the 2 countries. He stated that the participation of Serbian companies at an international fair in Algeria in May 2010 will boost economic cooperation of the two countries. Commenting on Algeria’s economy which has more than 35 million inhabitants, Mesdoua predicted that the country’s economic growth this year will be 3% but a recent prognosis of the International Monetary Fund shows the growth will be 9%.