🇩🇿Ahmed AttafAlgeria · UNGA 81 speech

In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful, Mr. President, I begin my statement in this general debate by extending my sincere congratulations to the sister People's Republic of Bangladesh on the election of one of its distinguished sons Mr. Khalilur Rahman as president of our General Assembly. I would also like to express my profound gratitude and great appreciation to Mr. Antonio Guterres, who is joining us in what is the final session of this Assembly during his tenure as Secretary-General of the United Nations. I renew our sincere appreciation and recognition for all that he has done throughout his two terms. He stood firm in defending our organization against attempts to undermine its foundations. He worked tirelessly to strengthen its role whenever efforts were made to diminish it. he devoted himself to keeping the voice of multilateral action strong whenever attempts were made to silence it. Today, we meet at a crossroads. In many parts of the world, tensions are rising, conflicts are expanding, and crises are deepening. Meanwhile, trust among nations is declining. Isolationism and polarization are intensifying, whereas selfishness and exclusion are prevailing at the expense of cooperation. Unilateral coercive measures are increasingly being imposed, and the logic of power is once again reasserting itself, eclipsing the virtues of dialogue and disregarding the benefits of consensus and understanding. In such a turbulent international context, the danger lies not only in the outbreak of wars, but also in the normalization and acceptance of war itself. It lies in the transformation of the exception into the rule, to a situation where the rules of international law become applicable at times and suspended at others, subject only to the dictates of power balances. What sort of international order can function properly when principles are selected according to the identity of those who violate them? What confidence can remain in international law when the aggressor is granted the right to self-defense, while the victim is required to justify even the right to survive? And what future awaits humanity if imposing fait accompli and once again becomes a tool for managing conflict or determining their outcome. This matter is not simply a temporary crisis facing the international system, rather, it is a profound review of our collective conscience. and our capacity to preserve and develop the order we established after two world wars, so that future generations would not suffer the scourge of war. Because we failed to learn the lessons of a not so distant history, and because we did not heed these lessons and we did not transform them into measures that would protect us from the catastrophes of the past, finally and in full. And because we built a system of international relations whose central purpose was to reject war and to safeguard a lasting peace, but without providing this system with the means and instruments necessary to achieve an ambition of this size, For this reason, the theme that was chosen by the President of our General Assembly for this session, namely, Restoring Trust and Managing Transformation, a United Nations delivering results for all. This theme not only reflects the challenges of our time, but also prevents us with a fundamental question. How do we restore confidence in an international system whose rules and institutions have lost credibility? Algeria believes that the starting point must be from the place where the will of the international community must be embodied, namely the United Nations itself. this very place and this very hall particularly. Reforming the United Nations system is no longer an institutional luxury, nor is it a choice that can be postponed indefinitely. It has become a necessity imposed by the profound transformations the world has undergone. It is imposed by the need for a more just international order, an international order that is more representative and more equitable. We cannot ask peoples to trust in multilateralism if its institutions continue to reflect the balances of a bygone era. We cannot speak of international justice without addressing the historical imbalances that still mar the structure of international decision making. Nor can we advocate for international peace and security while the system of international relations continues to favor war as a means of resolving dispute. Accordingly, Algeria calls for strengthening the role and the authority of the General Assembly. We call for a profound reform of the Security Council that would make it more representative, more equitable, and more effective. and that would put an end to selectivity and double standards in the application of international law. In this regard, Algeria reaffirms its steadfast support for the common African position. We stress that correcting the historical injustice suffered by Africa requires permanent and fair African representation in the Security Council with full powers. If restoring trust begins with institutional reform, then it cannot be complete without doing justice to the peoples aspiring to self-determination and the realization of their national projects. The Gulf region and the Middle East region are passing through one of the most dangerous periods in their history, not only because of the scale of destruction left behind by successive wars, but also because of the erosion of the boundaries that separate what is acceptable and what must remain rejected and condemned in international relations in this context. My country follows with deep concern the continuing escalation in the Gulf region, where we are witnessing a conflict that is weighing heavily on the states and peoples of the region and is undermining their security and stability and threatening the welfare and development of their peoples, peoples that have found themselves held hostage to calculations that are not their own. and interests that are not their own. Algeria renews its condemnation of the violations of the sovereignty of states and their territorial integrity in the region. We stress the need to de-escalate and respect international law in addressing tensions, disagreements, and disputes that have Taken by storm, the region's digital ultimate aspirations for security, peace, and tranquility. Algeria also condemns the continued Israeli attacks against countries in the region, particularly Syria and Lebanon, and its efforts to divide sisterly Somalia. In Palestine, the humanitarian tragedy continues. The Israeli occupation continues to kill Palestinian civilians. including large numbers of women and children in a scene that should never become a normalized part of the world's daily reality. The international community, and we along with it, welcomed the ceasefire in Gaza. that entered into force almost 11 months ago. We had hoped that it would mark the beginning of a process to end the suffering of civilians, that it would pave the way towards a lasting political solution. That hope quickly faded and was extinguished in light of the occupying power's continued settlement policies and its customary disregard for concluded agreements and commitments made. From this podium, Algeria renews its full and unconditional support for the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. Foremost among them is the Palestinian people's natural right to establish an independent and fully sovereign state with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital. And if the Palestinian cause constitutes a daily test of the credibility of the international legal system, Africa is yet another test. It is the test of building partnerships that are based on solidarity, development, and peace, rather than simply managing crisis and addressing the repercussions without giving due attention to the root causes of these crises and their underlying foundations. Algeria is firmly attached to its African identity. It is deeply imbued with a culture of peace and dialogue. Algeria will continue to support the just causes of the peoples of the continent. Algeria will contribute to every effort that opens to them pathways towards stability, development, and integration. Within this framework, Algeria reaffirms its principled support for the right of the people of the Western Sahara to self-determination. This is based on our firm conviction that issues of decolonization cannot be resolved ever through imposing a fait accompli or following that logic. Rather, decolonization ends when people are enabled to exercise their rights guaranteed to them under international law, fully and without any distortion and without any curtailment. Algeria welcomes the organization of direct negotiations between the two parties to the conflict, namely the Kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front, at the beginning of this year. These negotiations were held under the auspices of the United Nations and with the assistance of the United States of America. From this viewpoint, allow me to present what we sincerely and genuinely consider necessary for a lasting and just solution to the question of the Western Sahara. First, Algeria stresses that the success of the negotiations process requires both parties to engage in good faith and with a genuine commitment to reaching a political solution that is fair, lasting, and mutually acceptable, away from the logic of dictates and bargains. Algeria. also stresses that any serious negotiating process can only be conducted properly within the framework of the relevant United Nations references and with full respect to the organization's long-standing doctrine on decolonization. Second, Algeria warns that any attempt to circumvent this framework of reference or to marginalize those who hold legitimate rights, namely the people of the Western Sahara and their sole legitimate representative, the Polisario Front, any such attempt will not contribute to resolving the conflict. Rather, it would further complicate it and exacerbate tensions in a region that is in dire need of stability, reassurance, cooperation, and development. Third, Algeria reiterates in this matter that it hosts Sahrawi refugees on its territory and has done so for over half a century because their land is occupied. Because their land is occupied, this occupation cannot be simply summed up in a refugee issue, given the choice to return voluntarily. or resettled or integrate with the local hosts. It is a matter that fundamentally requires the completion of the decolonization process in the Western Sahara through a comprehensive political process. Such a process can only be achieved by the people of the Western Sahara exercising their inherent right to self-determination. This is undoubtedly the correct and proper approach to addressing the situation of the last colony on the African continent. The right of peoples to self-determination remains a fundamental principle of international law. The passage of half a century cannot transform an imposed reality into a legal fact, nor can the passage of half a century transform an imposed reality and a right into a legal fact. or diminish a right whose holders need no one to explain it to them. The collective memory of peoples, such as is the historic experience of the United Nations, both confirm that genuine peace is not built by disregarding rights. Rather, it is built through settlements that respect these rights and respond to the aspirations of those who hold these rights. Algeria views the Sahrawi Sahel region as a single space where the challenges of security, development, and stability intersect. As the President of the Republic, His Excellency Abdelmajid Taboun has stated, "Terrorism cannot be approached through a purely security-based method. nor can poverty and marginalization be effectively tackled in isolation from a security environment that enables terrorist groups and organized crime networks to expand and spread and take root. Security and development are not parallel tracks; they are two sides of the same coin. Accordingly, Algeria promotes an approach that is based on supporting the security of states in the region and accompanying their development efforts, and encouraging reconciliation and dialogue, and addressing the underlying causes of instability while respecting state sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and the choices of their people. As a neighboring and brotherly country, and in keeping with its historic commitment to solidarity, Algeria will remain ready to support the countries of the Sahel in confronting security and development challenges. We will extend a hand and support political solutions that preserve the stability of the region and open before its people's broader horizons for development and progress. As for sisterly Libya, now in the 16th year of its crisis, Libya remains another example that shows that protracted crises cannot be resolved by deepening divisions, but rather through dialogue, reconciliation, and the unification of institutions. Algeria renews its support for a peaceful and comprehensive and Libyan-led political solution. Algeria renews its support for the efforts of the United Nations and our confidence in the United Nations' ability to accompany the Libyan people towards a settlement that preserves the unity of the country and its institutions. Only the Libyans can build the consensus needed to safeguard their nation. Only the Libyans are entitled to take decisions related to the destiny of their nation and their future. Algeria firmly believes that ending foreign interference in all its forms and manifestations be they political, military, or security. Ending this is an essential element in creating the conditions necessary to end division and build a Libyan state that is single and unified and stable, a Libyan state that is able to determine its own future with the will of its people. Based on the same convictions and in response to the same imperatives, Algeria expresses its steadfast support for the legitimate authorities in brotherly Yemen and the Sudan, as they both seek to respond to their people's aspirations for security, stability, unity, and fraternity. This leads us to a truth that cannot be ignored. Peace cannot be built without development, and development cannot flourish without security and stability. And under the leadership of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Algeria has chosen to be an active participant in the changes that the world is witnessing today, not simply a recipient of these changes. Algeria has chosen to transform challenges into bridges towards progress, to transform its resources into levers for building a productive and diversified economy, and to use knowledge and science as engines of its comprehensive national advancement. Algeria has incorporated sustainable development into its national programs and enshrined it in the constitution since 2020. This is based on a vision that is grounded in social justice and in economic and environmental sustainability. It is based on a clear and firm and unwavering principle that no one should be left behind and that not a single Algerian, man or woman, should be marginalized in the journey of national development. When presenting its voluntary national review report in July 2026, Algeria outlined the progress it has achieved in implementing the 17 SDGs and the efforts that it has made in that regard. Efforts that gained their true substance when those numbers became tangible improvements in all aspects of life. And this is the essence of development, transforming public policies into tangible dignity that people feel in their daily lives. And from this understanding of sustainable development, Algeria proceeds with the conviction that development cannot be fully complete unless it includes its regional surroundings and environment and unless it contributes to building a more integrated African space that is better able to face the present and future challenges. The destiny of the peoples of the continent is interconnected. Their challenges are shared. This makes solidarity and integration in Africa, indispensable pillars of sustainable development. As we witness the accelerating technological revolution, we cannot accept that Africa would remain on the margins or simply become a consumer of its outputs. Here we note the need to invest in the African person to build scientific and digital capacities so that artificial intelligence becomes a tool for development, not a new label for another development gap between the North and the South. We call for a balanced and responsible international regulation of artificial intelligence that would guarantee equitable access to its benefits, that would preserve the sovereignty of states, and that would transform this revolution into a shared opportunity rather than an exclusive privilege or monopoly in the hands of a few. In the end, we return to the question where we began. How do we restore trust? Trust is restored when words match actions. Trust is restored when the law is applied equally to all. Trust is restored when peoples can see the United Nations as a common home, a shared home, rather than an organization held hostage to the dominance of power politics. Our responsibility today is not to leave to our children a legacy of a world that is burdened with our crises. Rather, what we owe them is to leave them a world that is better than the one that we have inherited. Let us move together forward, not because the path is an easy one, but because the alternative to cooperation is for each of us to face the storms of this era alone, isolated, and powerless. Let us make the restoration of trust a process rather than a slogan. Let us make multilateralism a reality rather than simply a principle. Let us make the United Nations in this pivotal moment A space where diplomacy regains its place, where confidence in institutions is restored, and where respect for international law becomes a shared commitment rather than a matter of convenience subject to whims. Let us work together for a world where the application of law is not a privilege, in which peace is not merely the temporary absence of war, and in which development is not reserved for those who came first, but rather a shared right of all peoples with all their diversity and for all generations to come. This is our responsibility towards our peoples, and this is the trust that we must deliver to future generations. I thank you for your kind attention.