Under the impetus of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Algerian diplomacy has been intensely active on all fronts, engaging significantly at both regional and international levels. Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad, and African Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, recently participated in Seoul in the Ministerial Meeting of the Africa-Republic of Korea Partnership.
Algerian diplomacy strengthens international partnerships
During the meeting, Attaf reaffirmed Algeria's steadfast commitment to furthering its strategic partnership with the Republic of Korea, celebrating the 20th anniversary of their bilateral agreement. He emphasized that this partnership transcends mere bilateral ties, acting as a catalyst for the broader Africa-Korea partnership. A prime example cited is the significant project to establish the African Center for Information and Communication Technologies and Advanced Technologies. Algeria's engagement extends to contributing to the diversification and expansion of the Africa-Korea partnership.
Attaf expressed Algeria's satisfaction and ambition regarding the progress of the Africa-Korea partnership since the 2024 summit. He lauded the tangible advancements in implementing the summit's directives and voiced optimism for further achievements in strengthening the partnership's dimensions for mutual benefit. He highlighted three key aspects: the alignment of the Africa-Korea partnership's goals with the priorities of the Continental Agenda 2063; Korea's notable support for African common action mechanisms, preserving African ownership; and the pragmatic approach of the partnership, evident in projects fostering African priorities in vital sectors like trade, infrastructure, agriculture, industry, technology, digitization, and innovation. Furthermore, Algeria aspires for this partnership to help Africa integrate into global revolutions in AI, digital technologies, robotics, nanotechnologies, and renewable energy, thereby preventing the continent from being left behind as it was during previous industrial and information revolutions.
In line with President Tebboune's directives, Algeria has been actively championing just causes in Africa and the Arab world, as well as mediating other global conflicts. Through its conviction and consultative approach, Algeria has successfully convened numerous emergency meetings on critical situations, including those in Palestine, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, and Colombia. These initiatives aim to foster a better world, free from threats to humanity.
Specifically concerning Palestine, Algeria convened several emergency meetings within thirty days focusing on consolidating the ceasefire in Gaza, addressing the challenges faced by UNRWA, and the plight of children in the enclave, providing relief and hope to affected populations. In Libya, Algeria's efforts led to a historic agreement allowing the Libyan Investment Authority to reinvest frozen Libyan assets and ensuring transparency regarding frozen assets in international financial institutions.
Regarding Syria, Yemen, Sudan, and Lebanon, Algeria's delegation successfully convinced Security Council members of the importance of supporting political processes initiated by these nations' peoples, aiming for a new era free from foreign interference.
Algeria has also been a driving force behind unprecedented meetings on key challenges facing its immediate geographic sphere – Africa and the Arab world. These include combating terrorism, strengthening UN-Arab League cooperation, and reforming the international system. Notably, Algeria's expertise in counter-terrorism led a high-level UN Security Council meeting on combating terrorism in Africa. The Algerian approach, emphasizing addressing both the manifestations and root causes of terrorism alongside development and security aspects, received unanimous praise from participating African ministers. Attendees expressed gratitude to President Tebboune for his role in unifying continental counter-terrorism efforts.
A separate meeting, also chaired by Attaf, focused on strengthening cooperation between the Arab League and the UN, highlighting the urgency of consolidating Arab and UN diplomatic actions for regional peace, security, and prosperity. The meeting underscored the negative repercussions of excluding this aspect from regional peace equations and emphasized the complementary relationship as a cornerstone of multilateralism.
In its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Algeria has vigorously defended the right to self-determination and independence for the Sahrawi people, countering attempts to undermine their cause. Despite efforts by the Moroccan regime to promote its autonomy plan, Algeria has remained steadfast in its support for the Sahrawi people, ensuring the issue remains prominent in international forums. Algeria successfully advocated for crucial amendments to Resolution 2797, reinforcing the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination and ensuring a more balanced text that aligns with international law and prior Security Council resolutions, countering Moroccan pressures to resolve the issue in their favor.
Minister of State Attaf confirmed that the Security Council did not adopt the Moroccan theses on Western Sahara, emphasizing that the issue remains under the purview of the UN. He noted that the adopted resolution preserved the fundamental elements for a solution to the Western Sahara issue. Through its firm stances, consistent with its foreign policy principles, Algeria has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to defending just causes, particularly the Palestinian and Sahrawi causes, on the international stage.
Related topics: Algerian diplomacy, Ahmed Attaf, Africa-Korea partnership, UN Security Council, Western Sahara, counter-terrorism Africa
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