Algeria Seeks to Foster Cooperation with ASEAN Member States
ALGIERS — Algerian Minister of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad, and African Affairs Ahmed Attaf emphasized Algeria’s “strong commitment” to enhancing longstanding friendship and cooperation with all member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during a visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Wednesday.
Attaf stated that Algeria is dedicated to strengthening these bilateral ties through its accession to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.
“It is with great pride and immense pleasure that I address you today as the process of my country’s official accession to ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation,” said Attaf in his speech at the 58th session of ASEAN Council of Foreign Ministers.
“I warmly thank ASEAN member states for accepting Algeria’s request and supporting its accession to this major Treaty,” he said.
“This day is a crucial milestone for Algeria-ASEAN ties. How could it be otherwise, when we have the privilege to join the family of Treaty member states. This family brings together all those who consider ASEAN as an example to follow and an inspiring model for the whole world,” affirmed Attaf.
The minister said that “Algeria’s accession to this venerable family lied on multiple considerations that we can resume in three main reasons; the first stems from our esteem and admiration for ASEAN countries that brilliantly showed how regional cooperation can result in transition, strengthen stability and enhance well-being.”
Attaf highlighted Algeria’s “strong desire to strengthen its longstanding relations of friendship and cooperation with all ASEAN member countries.”
He emphasized that “through our accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, we aspire to give a new dimension to these bilateral relations, encompassing ASEAN as a united bloc whose collective voice is rising and whose positive impact is growing on the global stage.”
To this end, he stated, “We seek to strengthen our interaction and consolidate our relationship with ASEAN through the establishment of a sectoral partnership dialogue, and we look forward to your support and assistance in this regard.”
Attaf also underscored Algeria’s “pride in sharing with all ASEAN member states our unwavering commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, which are enshrined with equal vigor in the United Nations Charter.”
He described these principles, derived from international law, as “the foundations of Algeria’s foreign policy, shaping its external identity and guiding its actions and positions on the international stage.”
The minister stressed that “our world urgently needs a renewed commitment to these principles, particularly in light of the deeply concerning developments and trends unfolding daily.”
He lamented “the resurgence and open use of force in defiance of established customs and rules,” adding that “the most alarming trend is the growing tendency to deliberately violate international law, including the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter.”
Attaf further warned of “the gradual marginalization of the UN, the weakening of the UN system, and the transformation of the Security Council into a powerless and virtually paralyzed body,” describing these developments as “extremely worrying.”
In response to these challenges, which are reshaping the global landscape, Attaf reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to working alongside ASEAN to defend the values of peace, mutual respect, sincere cooperation, and mutual assistance.
He emphasized the importance of strengthening respect for international law, particularly the principles of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.
Attaf concluded by affirming Algeria’s dedication to “coordinating closely with ASEAN to prioritize diplomacy over confrontation, uphold the primacy of law over force, and promote multilateralism over unilateralism as the only path to a future of peace and prosperity for all humanity.”
