German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Saturday that his visit to Algeria aims at deepening the bilateral relations both on the political and economic levels between Algiers and Berlin.

Westerwelle said "Relations between the two countries have developed in recent years," and he is "delighted" to have the opportunity to exchange ideas with his Algerian counterpart for the "mutual benefit" of both nations, the APS news agency reported.

Westerwelle arrived in Algiers on Saturday evening and has held talks with his Algerian counterpart Mourad Medelci.

The German foreign minister's two-day visit to Algeria will also focus on the situation in the African Sahel region, the developments in North Africa, the Syrian crisis and the peace process in the Middle East.