The Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the National Community Abroad, and African Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, affirmed on Monday that Algeria is committed to continuing and intensifying its efforts within all African institutions and at the United Nations Security Council to unify and amplify Africa's voice on the global stage.
In his address during the official ceremony marking World Africa Day, held at the ministry’s headquarters, Mr. Attaf emphasized that Algeria “is dedicated to sustaining and enhancing its endeavors across all African forums and at the UN Security Council to consolidate and elevate the African voice globally, while defending the continent’s interests, the aspirations of its states, and the expectations of its peoples.”
He further noted that, for the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, this commitment “is not a matter of political or strategic choice dictated by transient circumstances or short-term calculations, but stems from a profound conviction rooted in Algeria’s African identity and its historical African consciousness.”
In the same vein, he clarified that Algeria “has never turned, and will never turn, its back on its African belonging in general, and its Sahel-Saharan neighborhood in particular,” stressing that it “will never allow the security and stability of its neighborhood and its sphere of belonging to be threatened, as its own security and stability are inseparable from those of its environment.”
Moreover, Mr. Attaf affirmed that Algeria “is deeply committed to the sovereignty of its neighboring states, the integrity of their national territories, and the unity of their lands and peoples, just as it values its own sovereignty, integrity, and unity.” He added that Algeria “will always remain an ally, a defender, and an engaged actor in every effort to address the challenges facing itself and its African brothers.”
He highlighted that Algeria “warmly welcomes the wise decision recently made by the African Union to revive the issue of rendering justice to Africa by addressing the legacies of colonialism.” He recalled that Algeria “has resolutely engaged in this endeavor, drawing on the commitment of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to all dimensions related to national memory, which forms an integral part of the broader African collective memory.”
There is no doubt, he stated, that Algeria’s experience “aligns seamlessly with the noble objectives set by the African Union for this inclusive continental initiative.” He affirmed that Africa “today demands the criminalization of colonization, official recognition of colonial crimes, as well as reparations and the restitution of its plundered assets.”
“This day calls us to reflect on the origins of the unity project that brings us together, to reaffirm our steadfastness on the path laid by our predecessors who championed this project, and to explore the future prospects of this ambitious, promising, and quintessentially civilizational endeavor,” he said. He noted that Africa, “since the launch of its unity project in the early 1960s, has made great strides toward liberation, unity, and development.”
“The road ahead for Africa remains long and may grow more complex in light of current global challenges,” he cautioned, recalling that “the battle for the continent’s liberation is not yet complete, as the issue of Western Sahara remains unresolved before our eyes and those of the international community.” He continued, “It reminds us that an African people is still deprived of its right to self-expression, to have its voice heard, and to determine its own destiny in accordance with international legal resolutions.”
“The same applies to the Palestinian cause, which our African continent has embraced as an integral part of the continental liberation struggle and a natural extension of African peoples’ fight against systems of colonization, discrimination, and occupation,” he noted.
He added: “What we fear most is that our continent may be among the first victims of this tense global situation due to the marginalization of its causes, the suppression of its voice, the reduction of its role, and the weakening of its position, as was the case in the past during pivotal moments in history when balances were defined without Africa, laws were established to its detriment, and rules were set without its input.”
In this regard, Mr. Attaf declared, “While we all acknowledge the complexity of this new configuration at both continental and international levels, the foreign policy outlined by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune for our country refuses to submit to it as an inevitable fate or an imposed destiny from which there is no escape.”
“Today’s Africa is fundamentally different from that of the past. It has established itself among the world’s most powerful economic blocs and has rightfully earned full membership in the G20. It now defends its priorities and aspirations with a single, strong, and unified voice in all multilateral international forums, particularly within the UN Security Council,” he asserted.
He further stated: “Africa has succeeded in compelling the international community to recognize the legitimacy of its well-founded historical demands, whether for permanent and equitable representation on the UN Security Council or for the reform of the global economic, financial, and monetary governance system as a whole.”
In conclusion, Mr. Attaf affirmed that “Algeria welcomes this growing African momentum aimed at redressing historical injustices” and salutes “the valuable trust shown by its African brothers earlier this year through the election of its candidate to the position of Vice-President of the African Union Commission and its election as a member of the African Peace and Security Council.”
