Algeria ‘Clearly and Unequivocally’ Rejects Morocco’s Blackmail Against UNHCR
Algeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Rachid Bladehane, has condemned Morocco’s intimidation tactics against the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian agencies. He criticized the “fallacious and baseless” arguments employed by Morocco to obstruct the work of this UN organization while directing unfounded accusations at Algeria.
“I stand here once again to remind this esteemed assembly that Morocco continues to rely, regrettably, on deceitful and unsubstantiated claims to hinder the UNHCR’s activities and primarily to accuse my country. Our only offense is our commitment to international legality and our role in hosting refugees fleeing death and persecution,” he emphasized during the budget vote for the UN agency for the year 2025.
In this context, he asserted that Algeria “rejects, in clear and unequivocal terms, the blackmail exerted by Morocco on the UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies, notably the World Food Program (WFP).”
Ambassador Bladehane pointed out that “all delegates present have noted that the accusations made in this country’s address are unrelated to the budget.” He questioned why a nation that claims “Moroccan sovereignty” over Western Sahara would actively seek to undermine the welfare of the population that has fled its territory and sought refuge in Algeria, denying them the aid and assistance from the UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations, which is essential for their survival just as it is for all other refugees globally.
“It is clear that this defiant stance, deliberately obstructive to the UNHCR’s mission, jeopardizes the entire objective of this respected institution, which serves 123 million refugees and displaced persons, the majority of whom reside in Africa,” he warned.
Reiterating Algeria’s support for and trust in the UNHCR, Ambassador Bladehane reminded the assembly that “all documents submitted align with international legality and will continue to do so moving forward.”
“It is on this foundation that Algeria has expressed its support for adopting the budget by consensus, as has been the practice in previous years. For these reasons, it will vote in favor of this budget aimed at alleviating the suffering of millions of refugees and displaced persons worldwide,” he added.
He assured that Algeria “will also ensure adherence to the language used by the United Nations” and will “not accept, under any circumstances, amendments based on arbitrary politicization that compromise the fundamentally humanitarian actions of the UNHCR.”
During his address at the 75th session of the UNHCR Executive Committee, held in Geneva from October 14 to 18, Ambassador Bladehane encouraged international humanitarian agencies and donors to “contribute” to the implementation of the support plan for the 173,600 Sahrawi refugees in need.
