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Writes Professor Laeed Zaghlami (Algiers University, Algeria)
It is correlated that since the victory of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in the December 2019 presidential elections, Algeria has gradually restored its security recovery, political stability, the beginning of an economic take-off, the embodiment of the values of social justice, and a diplomatic movement at more than one level. We seek the fruits of these successes at home and internationally, including in African, Arab and Islamic countries. Indeed, Algeria has not only regained its status but also its hegemony and influence, which it had lost more than 30 years ago as a result of failures, contradictions, and internal and regional conflicts in which foreign parties contributed to tearing apart national unity
Three years after President Tebboune’s accession to power through the IMF, Algeria is experiencing an economic and diplomatic dynamism represented by its presence and participation in international forums, as well as by the organisation of meetings, seminars, and summits for the benefit of the Arab world and Islamic parliaments. the world, not forgetting the Algerian declaration on the Palestinian question. This intense diplomatic activity has made it the centre of attraction and attention of major countries, especially Russia and the United States of America, as it has become the focus of tensions between Moscow and Washington over the war between Russia and the West using Ukraine as an agency in the ongoing war.
Who is the friend and who is the ally?
Algeria now has strong and friendly historical relations with the former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation, and the army signed a strategic partnership agreement between the two countries in 2001, which provides the country with more than 70% of military equipment, in addition to training. skills and personnel. President Tebboune’s forthcoming visit is expected to revive and expand it in vital areas, including satellite technology, mechanical engineering, marine and space technology, and other areas in which Russia excels, just the fact that Russia is considered a reliable friend, and why not? It is a strategic ally.
Algerian-American relations have not reached the level of solid friendship
As for the United States of America, observers note that in view of the exacerbation and escalation of international conflicts and disputes, it is very difficult to consider Washington as a reliable party, which, according to the American researcher William Blum, is responsible for the intervention and creation of a large number of conflicts and wars in the world. Based on these facts, Algerian-American relations have not been up to the standard of a solid friendship, nor an ally that can be trusted, because the actions, practices, and movements of certain American lobbies in the Maghreb and the Sahel in the Middle East are incompatible with our principles and interests.
The current situation in Western Sahara
For example, former President Donna Led Trump’s decision to trade Morocco on the Western Sahara issue in exchange for normalisation with Israel still exists despite its illegality and legality. And the Biden administration has not changed the terms of the agreement and has not abolished it either, despite some statements by State Department officials. The latest was a phone call between the head of the Algerian diplomacy, Ramtane Lamamra, and the current Assistant Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, Ms Wendy Sherman.
Wendy Sherman’s acknowledgment of Algeria’s contribution to mitigating the escalation between the Palestinian resistance and Israel is seen as political rhetoric far removed from the facts on the ground, as well as on the international political scene. Everyone remembers when the US State Department spokesman was quick to denounce the commando operation carried out by the Palestinian child in retaliation for the crime committed by the Israeli occupation forces in Jenin and other occupied Palestinian areas.
Pressure from American lobbies
In any case, Algerian-American relations remain trapped in the steps and pressures of American lobbies that hide behind any attempt at improvement and promotion. Ten days ago, one of the undersecretaries of state for foreign affairs visited Algeria and was warmly received by the high authorities and expressed her gratitude and joy at the level of relations between the two countries, but she did not travel to Morocco, so she had a different speech and language confirming her country’s absolute support for Morocco’s aggressive policy. In its occupation of Western Sahara and its clear support for autonomy in the region, it did not address at all any amendment to the decision of Moroccanity of Western Sahara.
Strategic ambiguity
These are some examples that illustrate an aspect of the policy of strategic uncertainty pursued by Washington in its management of crises and conflicts in the world and in its relations with countries that do not belong to its camp. In the case of Taiwan, for example, Washington recognises China’s territorial integrity throughout its territory and at the same time supports the Taiwanese regime. This is a form of strategic uncertainty. As for Algeria, it flirts with it and describes it as a pivotal state, and on the other hand, some parties bite its back and oppose its interests in the region. For example, on the issue of the fight against terrorism, the American parties are trying to use Algeria to play a subcontracting role.
But the question is whether the United States of America was not the only Algeria to deal with terrorist acts for a whole decade. It should not be forgotten or overlooked that some of the Algerian political faces supporting and sustaining terrorism resided in the United States, France, Switzerland, Germany, and other Western countries. As for today, Washington’s support for Algeria in the fight against terrorism cannot be achieved through a symposium between the two countries, as the American ambassador to our country has stated, but rather within the international forum for the fight against terrorism, as both countries are active members. And that cooperation between the two countries is not limited to security aspects alone but rather extends to areas in which technology is transferred, such as agriculture, industry, trade, and others
Shared values
The United States of America relies on the shared values strategy, which consists of employing certain values according to its standards such as freedom, democracy, and human rights for the rapprochement, knowledge, and integration in the political and economic context of the members of the American society. regardless of their affiliation, race, language, or religion. The best example is the appointment of Professor Elias Zerhouni, of Algerian origin, as Director of the American Institute of Medicine under the George W. Bush administration, as a symbol of success in the concept of shared values. But don’t forget that it was President George Bush Jr. who ordered the occupation and dispersal of Iraq. This approach remains in place to appear as tolerance, coexistence, and freedom in order to preserve American interests.
The Puzzle of US foreign policy
It is difficult to know precisely who the influential parties are in determining and shaping US foreign policy, but what is known is that it is the result of intersections between the interests of the lobbies in the White House, the Secretary of State, the Pentagon, Congress in both chambers, the owners of the industrial and military complex, as well as political and religious pressure groups. To do this, it is necessary to know how to establish relationships and communication channels with these parties in order to obtain some sort of agreement and gain sympathy by employing the qualities of soft power and money.
Finally, Algeria is reaching out to all countries that wish to establish relations of friendship and fraternity on the basis of mutual respect and cooperation in solidarity, with economic realism and win-win logic. But it refuses to be told what to do, who to turn to, and how to deal with it. From this point of view, it works hard to export peace and security to all parts of the world, because it aspires to a multiple world in which the sovereignty of peoples and states is respected. However, the hope of achieving this remains illusory in view of the complexity and ramifications of the Ukrainian crisis, which has assumed dangerous proportions and heralds the beginning of a third world war, starting in Europe and potentially spreading to several regions of the world.