At the 6th African Union (AU)-Regional Economic Communities (RECs)-Regional Mechanisms (RMs) Mid-Year Coordination Meeting held in Accra, Ghana, on July 21, 2024, Algeria expressed its satisfaction with the declaration issued by the AU Commission affirming the full operational readiness of the North Africa Regional Capability (NARC).
Speaking on behalf of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Chair of NARC, the Algerian Prime Minister emphasized the urgency of operationalizing the African Standby Force (ASF) and realizing the shared vision of a secure, stable, integrated, and prosperous Africa actively contributing to addressing peace and security challenges.
Below is the full text of Algeria’s statement at the 6th AU-RECs-RMs Mid-Year Coordination Meeting:
“In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
Peace and blessings be upon His truthful and trustworthy Prophet,
- Your Excellency, my dear brother Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and current Chair of the African Union,
- Your Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana,
- Your Excellencies, Heads of State of the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms,
- Your Excellency, Chairperson of the African Union Commission,
- Ladies and gentlemen,
At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your wise leadership of our summit and for your tireless efforts since assuming the chairmanship of the African Union in raising the voice of our continent and defending its interests in various international forums. I also take this opportunity to reiterate my congratulations on your re-election as President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, wishing you continued success in your noble endeavors.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, for his generous hospitality, warm welcome, and unwavering support for joint African action in all its dimensions.
The rapid global developments surrounding our continent and the growing internal crises we face require us, as member states, to intensify our joint efforts and mobilize our collective capabilities to solidify the principle of ‘African solutions to African problems.’
This principle, established by the founding fathers of our continental organization, was never merely an empty slogan; it was and remains a strategic objective in the truest sense of the word. Its realization on the ground will yield tangible results that we all aspire to, contributing to a brighter future for our people.
In this context, it becomes essential to bolster the pillars of the continental peace and security architecture by fully activating all its mechanisms dedicated to conflict prevention and resolution, particularly the African Standby Force. This will enable us to optimize its utilization in responding to current challenges.
Algeria, as the Chair of the North Africa Regional Capability, one of the five components of the African Standby Force, continues its endeavors to enhance the operational readiness of this regional mechanism, enabling it to effectively contribute to peacekeeping and security in Africa.
I would like to take this opportunity to commend the efforts of our sister nations engaged with us in this mechanism: the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Libya, and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
In this regard, we proudly acknowledge the declaration issued by the African Union Commission confirming the full operational readiness of the North Africa Regional Capability. This declaration culminates a series of inspection visits that allowed experts from both the African Union and the United Nations to assess the military, civilian, and logistical capabilities possessed by NARC. These capabilities, in accordance with international standards, qualify NARC to participate in peacekeeping operations at the continental level.
This declaration serves as a strong incentive for member states to move forward in preparing for the field exercise scheduled for late 2024, simulating the deployment of a peace support mission. This exercise aims to maintain a high level of readiness and ensure a rapid and effective response to emergencies and crises.
In light of these encouraging developments, Algeria emphasizes the need to consolidate the gains achieved and build upon the results attained. We put forward the following four recommendations:
First: Welcome the declaration of readiness of the North Africa Regional Capability.
Second: Provide the necessary support to the Executive Secretariat of the North Africa Regional Capability in preparation for the planned field exercise, which will be a qualitative addition to the preparation and readiness of the entire African Standby Force.
Third: Expedite the adoption of the Memorandum of Understanding concerning the African Standby Force between the African Union Commission, on the one hand, and the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms, on the other hand.
Fourth: Move forward with the process of reviewing the strategic concept of the African Standby Force, to make it more consistent with the African Union’s doctrine on peacekeeping operations and to provide it with the necessary support as an integral part of the African peace and security architecture.
Mr. President,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
There is no doubt that the time has come to activate the role of the African Standby Force in embodying the Africa We Want – a safe and stable Africa, an integrated and prosperous Africa, and an Africa that responsibly contributes to addressing the challenges it faces in the area of peace and security.
In this context, I reiterate Algeria’s firm determination to work, as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, to defend the interests of our continent, raise its voice, and mobilize support for our joint efforts to enable our continent to play its full role in peacekeeping and security in Africa, in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Charter, pending the rectification of the historical injustice against our continent regarding its representation at the UN Security Council, especially since we are living today in a volatile international scene characterized by the growth of conflict hotspots, amidst the international community’s failure to fulfill its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security.
Perhaps the most striking evidence of this is the barbaric war of extermination waged by the occupation forces against the defenseless Palestinian people, with whom we renew our unwavering solidarity from this platform and affirm our steadfast support until the full restoration of their legitimate rights, foremost among which is the establishment of their independent state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
In conclusion, I renew my thanks to you, Mr. President, for your insightful leadership of our organization, wishing you every success in strengthening our joint work and achieving the goals set by the founding fathers of our organization, including the late President Kwame Nkrumah.
Thank you for your kind attention. Peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.”