Algeria To Vie For Membership Of The UN Security Council

At the upcoming Peace and Security Council that will meet on the sidelines of the next African Union Summit, Algeria will put forth a memoir devoted to strengthening the fight against the terrorism scourge, stated Monday the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Abdelkader Messahel .

Speaking during a morning program aired by channel 3 of the Algerian Radio, he announced, moreover, that he had been entrusted by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika with representing him at the World Economic Forum in Davos  (Switzerland), due to kick off on Tuesday, January 23, and which will this time examine the approaches to “create a common future” between the countries of the planet,” in a fractured world.”

Mr Messahel underscored that the recent meeting organized in Algiers, of the 5 + 5 countries, gathering the countries around the Mediterranean, dealt with burning issues relating to illegal migration and the ongoing conflicts in Libya and Mali in particular.

He further underlined that it has been made possible through this broad-based encounter to identify areas for further development in terms of closer cooperation and sustainable development, but also major environmental issues related to climate change.

One of the aspects discussed during the meeting,  pertaining to the terrorist presence in the northern part of the African continent, Mr. Abdelkader Messahel indicated that this is an issue that concerns Algeria as much as the  entire countries in the region.

In this regard, he explained that the latter is forced to maintain a “high level of vigilance”, because, he said, it is surrounded by areas of “great turbulence” that have led Algeria to deploy its army in all border areas to duly protect its territorial integrity.

Mr. Messahel also announced that Algeria intends to vie shortly for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Regarding the dire situation now prevailing in Libya, the foreign minister pointed out that Algerian diplomacy is working to create a political climate that would preserve the territorial unity and stability of this neighboring country. 

He added that it is the same for Mali where he explains, it is a question of persevering to  ensure full implementation of the agreements stemming from the process of Algiers, in order to put an end to the terrorist presence and the big trafficking rings in the region.

Mr Messahel finally revealed that Algeria, in addition to providing logistical and humanitarian aid, is currently training elite troops specialized in the fight against the terrorism plague, for the benefit of Niger and Mali, in particular.