A senior European Union official on Monday hailed the "immense and key" experience of Algeria in the fight against terrorism, ahead of a security meeting between European representatives and Algerian officials due in October.

Representatives of the European Commission and the European External Action Service met in Algiers with top Algerian security and political officials Monday to prepare for the second bilateral strategic dialogue on security, which will be held in October.

Upon his meeting with Algerian Foreign Minister Abdelkader Messahel, Gilles De Kerchove, EU counterterrorism coordinator, told reporters that the security dialogue is "extremely important for the EU regarding the strategic and central role of Algeria and its immense experience in both the fight against terrorism and preventing it."

As for the talks with Messahel, the EU official said they discussed several issues, including "the state of bilateral relations, as well as cooperation in the fields of cyber security, the prevention of radicalism, the fight against terrorism financing, and exchange of views on the regional situation, particularly in the African Sahel."

The EU and Algeria held the first strategic dialogue in October 2017 in Brussels.

The second meeting will be held in October in Algiers and is expected to discuss cooperation in issues of common interest, including security and counterterrorism.