United Nations, New York – Amar Ben Jamaa, Algeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has been jointly awarded the prestigious title of “Diplomat of the Year” by the international media organization, PassBlue. He shares the honor with Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The award recognizes Ambassador Ben Jamaa’s distinguished diplomatic performance throughout Algeria’s two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. It acknowledges his significant contributions, tireless efforts, and principled stances within the United Nations framework.
During Algeria’s tenure on the Security Council, Ambassador Ben Jamaa consistently championed the Palestinian cause, advocating for an immediate end to the Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip. Despite facing repeated vetoes, Algeria, under Ben Jamaa’s leadership, remained steadfast in its commitment to urging the Council to fulfill its responsibility to protect the Palestinian people from all forms of aggression and enable them to establish an independent state.
Acting as a representative of both the Arab and African groups within the Security Council, Algeria successfully garnered broad support for numerous draft resolutions submitted to the UN body. These resolutions focused particularly on achieving a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, demanding the delivery of humanitarian aid, and halting Israeli threats to ban UNRWA’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Beyond the Palestinian issue, Ambassador Ben Jamaa actively addressed critical situations in various regions during his interventions at the Security Council. These included the ongoing conflicts in Libya, Sudan, and South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic. He also worked diligently to defend the inalienable right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence.
Ambassador Ben Jamaa’s dedication to multilateralism and his unwavering commitment to addressing global challenges have earned him this well-deserved recognition.
