AA - Turkish and Algerian parties have signed the Turkey-Algeria Joint Economic Commission (JEC) Protocol in the JEC Ninth Term Meeting on Thursday, according to a statement by the Turkish State Ministry. Turkish and Algerian officials discussed measures to boost bilateral trade, in the areas of energy, mining, agriculture, industry, transportation, health and contracting business during the meeting. Trade volume between the two countries increased to USD 5 billion in 2008 from USD 1.6 billion in 2003. It dropped to USD 3.8 billion in 2009 due to a decrease in Turkey's imports of natural gas and iron from Algeria. Meanwhile, Turkey's exports to Algeria rose 10 percent to USD 1.7 billion in 2009 despite the global financial crisis.