The Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Algiers, Mark Shapiro, has revealed the background behind Washington’s decision to send a chargé d’affaires rather than a full ambassador to Algeria, shedding light on his mandate and the nature of his responsibilities as acting head of mission replacing Ambassador Elizabeth Aubin.
Speaking exclusively to dzwatch, the American diplomat explained that his country’s leadership selected Algeria among a number of nations to which it dispatched chargés d’affaires, stressing that the move is “completely natural” and falls within “normal diplomatic transitions” that are “a routine part of life and work between any two countries.”
Without elaborating further, Shapiro acknowledged that “our operations are unpredictable and could last a month, two months, or even a full year,” hinting at pending ambassador appointment decisions and postings across various countries.
The New York-born diplomat added that the US President and Secretary of State had identified a set of countries that were “very important to wait for,” and that this situation led to his own dispatch to Algiers as chargé d’affaires to ensure leadership and continuity at the embassy.
