Attaf Drives Intensive Diplomacy, Addresses Global Forums at UNGA
Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf engaged in extensive diplomatic activities during the high-level week of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. His schedule included multiple meetings with foreign ministers and senior officials, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations, economic cooperation, and exchanging views on regional and international issues. Notably, Minister Attaf held discussions with US President's Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, and US Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau. These meetings reviewed the positive momentum in Algerian-American relations, exploring avenues for broader cooperation in energy, economy, and trade, while also addressing situations in Libya, Sudan, the Gulf region, and developments concerning Western Sahara, with an agreement to continue consultations. Separately, he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss furthering bilateral friendship and cooperation, and to expand economic partnership, also exchanging views on the Middle East and Saharo-Sahel region.
Beyond these engagements, Minister Attaf conducted several other high-level bilateral discussions. He met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to enhance bilateral ties, with the Iranian minister acknowledging Algeria's role as a regional and international bridge. Meetings with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, and with Hajja Lahbib, EU Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality, highlighted progress in cooperation, particularly in energy and crisis response, and included preparations for an upcoming Algerian-Spanish High-Level Meeting. Further consultations took place with Ton Kaiser, the Foreign Minister of Slovenia, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, Mohamed Ali Nafli, Tunisia's Foreign Minister, Badr Abdel Aati, the Foreign Minister of Egypt, Abdoulaye Diop, Mali's Foreign Minister, and Mohamed Yeslem Beisset, the Foreign Minister of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. These meetings reinforced Algeria's diverse diplomatic network and commitment to regional stability, including reviewing developments related to the UN process for a political solution ensuring the Sahrawi people's self-determination.
In a multilateral context, Minister Attaf delivered an address at the 50th meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Group of 77 and China, and participated in the OIC Annual Coordination Meeting of Foreign Ministers. A significant focus of his activities was advocating for Al-Quds (Jerusalem), where he addressed a joint ministerial meeting of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. During this intervention, Minister Attaf called for concerted Arab-Islamic action to safeguard the legal status of Al-Quds, countering any attempts to impose a new reality. He emphasized that Al-Quds is an occupied Palestinian territory since 1967 and that its protection is crucial for defending its inhabitants, holy sites, and identity, while asserting that the issue transcends a mere Palestinian file and represents a core matter of justice and international legitimacy, advocating for a collective stance translating into concrete political and diplomatic actions.
