APS : TUESDAY 23 JANUARY 2018
DAVOS (Switzerland)-Foreign Minister Abdelkader Messahel on Tuesday presented Algeria’s experience in counterterrorism, de-radicalization and promotion of the values of coexistence,
tolerance and reconciliation.
As part of his participation in the Davos World Economic Forum (WEF) as representative of President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Messahel attended a panel on the situation in the MENA region, in which he thoroughly discussed Algeria’s counterterrorism experience.
As regards the meeting’s central theme, the FM stated that Algeria, “which faced many challenges resulting from the geopolitical situation prevailing in its neighbouring countries,” managed to overcome these difficulties thanks to the experience gained under counterterrorism and violent extremism.”
Messahel recalled that Algeria “defeated the murderous and destructive fury of the terrorist hydra in the 90s and now mobilizes its resources to strengthen stability and security and promote socioeconomic development.”
Moreover, Messahel underlined “our Algeria’s contribution to the stabilization of its immediate neighbourhood through peaceful dialogue, consultation and negotiation.”
Detailing the content of Algeria’s comprehensive approach, initiated by President Bouteflika, Messahel said that “it is notably based on the policy of civil concord and national reconciliation that brought together the children of our country with a view to building a modern, democratic, republican Algeria committed to human rights, fundamental freedoms and the establishment of institutions meeting standards.”
The Algerian FM also referred to Algeria’s efforts to “build a strong, capable and just State based on the rule of law primacy with institutions gaining the trust of the population and recover political, economic, social and institutional stability.”
“Amendments to the Constitution in 2016 meet this ambition. They encompass the choice of participative democracy as an antidote to violent extremism, terrorism and other social evils, the reinforcement of the separation of powers, the independence of justice and broadening the spaces of freedom for the benefit of various actors in society, including political parties, citizens’ organizations and the responsibilities resulting from these choices,” stressed the FM.
“The policy on de-radicalization and protection of the population from possible radicalization risks in the future remains a key thrust in the Algerian State’s sector programmes. In fact, this multisectoral approach includes political, economic, social, educational, religious and cultural aspects,” affirmed the same official.
“The implementation of this approach is fundamentally based on the active involvement of citizens and private and public stakeholders in the society,” said Messahel.
