Algiers Leads the Charge for African Dignity and Rights. By hosting the international conference on the criminalization of colonialism and issuing the “Algiers Declaration,” Algeria is solidifying its leading role in guiding Africa towards reclaiming its dignity and long-denied rights.
This landmark initiative reflects Algeria’s deep commitment to liberation and justice, stemming from its own arduous experience resisting French colonialism for 132 years, a struggle that cost over one and a half million lives. The Algiers Declaration represents an unprecedented continental consensus, bringing together foreign ministers from African Union member states, alongside experts and historians, to enshrine the principle of classifying colonialism, slavery, and forced displacement as crimes against humanity and acts of genocide.
Algeria, leveraging its diplomatic influence and historical struggle, provided the ideal platform for this unified African movement towards restorative justice. What sets this Algerian initiative apart is that it doesn’t merely dwell on the painful past. It actively connects historical justice with contemporary struggles against all forms of hegemony and occupation. The declaration reiterated Africa’s support for the Palestinian people in the face of the “atrocities of occupation,” affirming that the principles of freedom and the right of peoples to self-determination are universal and indivisible values.
Algeria, with its unwavering belief in justice and human dignity, translates its principles into tangible actions on the international stage, drawing inspiration from the legacy of its historical leaders such as Emir Abdelkader, Ahmed Ben Bella, and Houari Boumediene, who transformed Algeria into a beacon for global liberation movements. This commitment underscores Algeria’s continued dedication to shaping a more just and equitable world.
