Algeria appoints Messdoua as 15th ambassador to Paris

Foreign ministry Monday announced that French authorities officially approved the appointment of Abdelkader Messdoua as Algiers’ new ambassador to Paris. He would succeed Amar Ben Djamaa who was dismissed, a month ago.

“France’s government approved the appointment of Mr. Abdelkader Messdoua as the ambassador People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to the Republic of France,” said the ministry in a release.

The appointment of Messdoua was a surprise for many people as other names were evoked including former Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal and former foreign minister Ramtane Lamamra.

Messdoua is a close person to current foreign minister Abdelkader Messahel. He has a long experience in diplomacy. He was an ambassador to Libya and Belgrade.

He is the 15th Algerian ambassador to Paris.

Abdelatif Rahal was the first ambassador to Paris. He was appointed in 1963, shortly after Algeria’s independence. He was succeeded by Boualam Moussoui, then Mohamed Bedjaoui, Mohamed Sahnoune, Djamal Houhou, Abdelhamid Mehri, Messaoud Ait Chaalal, Ismail Hamdani, Sid Ahmed Ghezali, Hocine Djoudi, Mohamed Ghoualmi, Missoum Sabih and Amar Boudjamaa respectively.