Salah Goudjil, Speaker of the Council of the Nation (Algeria’s upper house of Parliament), emphasized the Security Council’s responsibility to protect the Palestinian people and called for accelerating the decolonization of Western Sahara, the last remaining colony in Africa. His remarks were made during the 1st Indonesia-Africa Parliamentary Forum in Bali, themed “Establishing a Parliamentary Partnership between Indonesia and Africa for Development.”
At the forum, Mohamed Amroune, President of the Commission on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and the National Community Abroad, delivered a speech on Goudjil’s behalf. In the address, Goudjil highlighted the importance of this platform in advancing parliamentary diplomacy and enhancing cooperation between Indonesia and Africa for mutual benefit and development. He praised the strong Afro-Indonesian relations rooted in a shared historical heritage, friendship, and solidarity, referencing Indonesia’s significant support for liberation movements, including the Algerian Revolution.
Goudjil also pointed out the global context of instability and tension, viewing the forum as an opportunity to address cooperation and the shortcomings of the collective security system. He reiterated Algeria’s stance as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, stressing the urgency of addressing the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. Additionally, Goudjil called for the Security Council to hold the Zionist occupation accountable for its crimes and violations of international law, while also advocating for the acceleration of decolonization in Western Sahara.
