Brussels, 01/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - Algeria's ambassador in Brussels, Amar Belani, was quoted by Algerian news agency APS on Friday 27 November as saying that Algeria sees positively the new European proposals on the European neighbourhood policy (ENP - see EUROPE 11433).
Belani hailed “the inclusive nature” of the European Commission-led consultations process, and welcomed the proposals that will favour “a better ownership” by all stakeholders - a process that breaks with the “original conception” of the ENP. This policy was previously “unilateral, Euro-centred and without any real perspectives of ownership by the partner countries”, Belani stated.
In his view, “the overall approach” that is now retained has a political and pragmatic nature that is “more affirmed” and it proposes a more pronounced “differentiation”. This will enable account to be taken of the “specificities and needs of each country in co-defining the objectives” based on “a balance of interests”, Belani said. The third characteristic of the new ENP, he continued, is “flexibility” of the partnership's framework, through the adaptation of its financial instruments to the priorities and contexts of each partner country. “That's where there are so many elements that correspond to the proposals made by Algeria”, Belani said, believing that the ENP “must also take account of the comparative advantages of each partner”.
Belani also highlighted Algeria's role in stabilising the region. Algeria “is contributing more substantially and reliably to Europe's energy security, as it plays a leader role in the security and stabilisation of our regional environment”, he said. It is for this reason that “the stabilisation of the EU's neighbourhood was held up as a priority of the ENP”. The desire is reportedly to “achieve the creation of a common Euro-Mediterranean space with shared security and prosperity”. In order to achieve this, there would have to be “maintenance of a high level of mobilisation of security services and implementation of a comprehensive multi-dimensional policy of de-radicalisation combining measures of a political, economic, social and cultural nature, and the determined fight against jihadist propaganda on the internet”. On migration, Belani thought that the security-based approach was “not the right option”, and called instead “for the deep-rooted causes - political instability, armed conflicts, terrorism and poverty - to be tackled”. (Original version in French by Fathi B'Chir)