At the UN Security Council, Algeria treads carefully and praises Trump

This Friday, October 31, Algeria abstained from voting on the latest UN Security Council resolution regarding the Sahara issue. Following the vote, Algerian ambassador Ammar Benjamaa addressed the media to explain his country’s position.

The diplomat said that the Council’s 15 members «did not take into consideration the proposal submitted by the Polisario Front», attributing this rejection to «resistance that the penholder could not overcome, and we all know what resistance this refers to», he remarked, in a thinly veiled reference to France.

In contrast, Benjamaa refrained from criticizing Washington, even expressing admiration for U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he credited for his peace initiative aimed at improving relations between Morocco and Algeria. «It is an initiative that brings hope for peace and stability to the region», he said, «but it cannot truly succeed without the active support of all parties involved».

The Algerian ambassador also commended the «penholder», the country responsible for drafting the resolution, for its efforts to reach a compromise.

It is worth recalling that the same diplomat made headlines last year for his sharp criticism of the United States under President Joe Biden’s administration.