Lounès Magramane, Secretary General of the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad, and African Affairs, conducted bilateral meetings with several officials attending the high-level segment of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), held from February 24 to 26 in Geneva, as reported by the ministry.
“In the context of his ongoing bilateral discussions on the sidelines of the high-level segment of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council, which took place from February 24 to 26, 2025, in Geneva, Secretary General Mr. Lounès Magramane engaged with various officials present at this session,” the statement released on Wednesday noted.
As detailed by the same source, the Secretary-General met with Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at UNHCR; Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; and Sergey Vershinin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation responsible for multilateral affairs.
During his discussions with Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, Magramane addressed “mechanisms aimed at enhancing coordination for the effective management of refugee issues, Algeria’s support for UNHCR’s role in strengthening humanitarian assistance for Sahrawi refugees, and strategies to ensure a comprehensive response to their concerns and aspirations,” the statement added.
This meeting also served as an opportunity to explore bilateral cooperation and Algeria’s initiatives to create conducive conditions for hosting and supporting refugees.
In his conversation with Nada Al-Nashif, the Secretary General reaffirmed “Algeria’s steadfast commitment to bolstering bilateral cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), commending Algeria’s decision to double its financial contribution to the OHCHR budget for the 2025 fiscal year to support its mission efforts,” according to the same source.
In discussions with Sergey Vershinin, Magramane emphasized “the desire to continue developing joint cooperation and reinforcing the tradition of consultation and coordination within international and regional bodies and organizations,” the statement concluded.
