Foreign circles tip Lakhdar Brahimi as suitable candidate for Algeria’s 2014 presidential polls

Some foreign political circles have tipped seasoned Algerian diplomat, Lakhdar Brahimi, as a most appropriate candidate for the upcoming 2014 presidential elections owing to his renowned standing on the world political scene.

Following his refusal to run for the 2009 presidential polls in Algeria, the veteran UN diplomat is now being urged by powerful political circles overseas to stand as candidate for the 2014 presidential electoral contest in Algeria on account of his vast troubleshooting experience and his high credibility in the international arena.

Some reliable sources told Echorouk that Lakhdar Brahimi’s election bid, if it is confirmed, would be largely backed by numerous high-profile personalities within Algeria itself because of the man’s clean slate and high-grade diplomatic record.

But, the situation is  currently fuzzy on the national political scene, because incumbent President Abdellaziz Bouteflika has so far not expressed overtly his ambition to vie for a fourth straight presidential mandate, leaving room to all sorts of speculations harboured by political party leaders who have found themselves at a loss in terms of future prospects on account of this lingering confusion.

Lakhdar Brahimi – Biographical Information:

 Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi was appointed Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on 1 January 2004.

As Special Adviser, Mr. Brahimi advises the UN Secretary-General on a wide range of issues, including situations in the areas of conflict prevention and conflict resolution.

Former Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (from 3 October 2001 to 31 December 2004), 

In between his Afghanistan assignments, Mr. Brahimi served as Under-Secretary-General for Special Assignments in Support of the Secretary-General’s Preventive and Peacemaking efforts.

Mr. Brahimi was Minister for Foreign Affairs of Algeria from 1991 to 1993. From 1984 to 1991, he was Under-Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, and from 1989 to 1991, served as Special Envoy of the Arab League Tripartite Committee to Lebanon, mediating the end of the civil war in that country.

Mr. Brahimi was Diplomatic Adviser to the President of Algeria from 1982 to 1984, Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1971 to 1979, and Ambassador to Egypt and the Sudan, as well as Permanent Representative to the Arab League in Cairo, from 1963 to 1970.

From 1956 to 1961, during Algeria’s independence struggle, he was the National Liberation Front (FLN) representative in South-East Asia, resident in Jakarta. 

Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi was educated in Algeria and France (law and political science), and is fluent in Arabic, English and French. Born on 1 January 1934, he is married with three children.