In the Name of Allah, Praise be to Him

May the blessing and Peace be upon the Messenger of Allah,

I welcome Mr. Speaker of the National People’s Assembly, the Prime Minister, as well as the Chief of the Constitutional Court. I also welcome the ladies and gentlemen, members of the government, H.E the PUIC President and the PUIC Secretary General.

I welcome the ladies and gentlemen, Speakers of the PUIC Member Parliaments. I also welcome the ladies and gentlemen members of delegations, the member of Diplomatic Corps accredited to Algeria, and the media family. I welcome all honorable attendees.

Esteemed Ladies and Esteemed Gentlemen,

This important meeting is held today, for the first time in Algiers, under the high patronage of the President of Republic, His Excellency Mr. Abdelmajid Tebboun. The meeting comes at a very sensitive phase; it is convened in our country Algeria; Algeria of the First of November; Algeria of Martyrs. We are all honoured to host this 17th Session of the PUIC Conference.

It is geniunly true that this Conference is convened in a very sensitive phase, wherein we are faced with huge, and at the same time, dangerous, challenges? Where is the place of the Islamic World in this big world today?

Esteemed Ladies and Esteemed Gentlemen,

With your presence with us today in Algeria, we recall the First of November. We remember the experience which was lived by the Algerian People under a 130-year old colonialism. Colonization of Algeria, as you know, was different from all other types of colonization, because it was a settlement colonialization, aimed at the annihilation of the Algerian People, and their replacement by another Christian European People.

The Sacrifices made by the Algerian People during occupation and colonialization, from 1830 to 1962, judging from the genocide experienced by the Algerian people, were formidable. The price, paid in self and property, was huge; more than 5,400,000 martyrs. Praise be to God, we achieved victory, in the end.

But how did we prevail? We prevailed with Unity. The Algerian People rallied to one word i.e. independence of Algeria and restoration of national sovereignty. This is what we wish for the Palestinian People today. Unity was the reason for success and achievement of victory.

Esteemed Ladies; Esteemed Gentlemen,

A few days before the convening of the League of Arab States summit in Algiers on 1-2 November, 2022, and at the initiative of the President of the Republic H.E. Mr. Abdelmajid Tebboun and under his high patronage, Algeria hosted a meeting bringing together all the Palestinian factions.

The Palestinian brothers gathered here in Algiers, and signed the document “The Algiers Declaration”, on Thursday evening of 13 October, 2022, on reconciliation, at the conclusion of the proceedings of the Conference on “Reconciliation for realizing Palestinian National Unity”.

President of the Republic described that moments as “historic”. He added in a brief statement on this occasion: “I hope to see soon the establishment of the fully- fledged independent Palestinian State with the 1967 borders and Al Quds as its Capital.”

The “Algiers Declaration” emphasized the importance of the Palestinian national unity as the basis for steadfastness, confrontation and resistance against occupation in order to realize the legitimate objectives of the Palestinian People.

It is true that the unity is the only means by which the Palestinians can achieve victory, just as Algeria was victorious in its struggle against the brutal colonization.

The 31 Session of the Arab Summit, held in Algiers on 1-2 November, 2022, was crowned with the “Algiers Declaration”, which affirmed the centrality of the Palestinian cause, and the absolute support to the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to freedom and self-determination and the embodiment of the independent and the fully sovereign State of Palestine on the June 4th borders 1967, with Eastern Al Quds as its Capital, as well as the right to return, and reparation to the Palestinian refugees according to the UN General Assembly Res. No. 194 of 1948.

The Palestinian Cause is the concern of all. It is a de-colonization issue. It can be compared to the colonization of Algeria because it is also a settlement colonization. What Palestine is currently experiencing necessitates from us the unity of our discourse and the unity of our stance vis- a- vis the Zionist entity.

We are proud of the stance of our country, Algeria, on the Palestinian Cause which is considered clear and firm from the beginning. We all remember that the late President Hawari Boumedienne had said: “We are by the side of Palestine, whether treated others unjustly or was treated unjustly by others.” In fact, Palestine never treated others unjustly. For more than 70 years Palestine faced injustice, and only demands its rights. Here comes the role of Islamic states, Islamic Parliaments, as well as Muslim and Arab Peoples, and the big responsibility on their shoulders, in order to face the conditions of the Palestinian people.

We, in Algeria, and through this important parliamentary meeting which brings together parliaments of our Islamic world, shall act and seek to unify discourse and ranks in order to define collective and binding positions of our Islamic countries on the central Cause of our Ummah i.e. the Palestinian Cause, and backing and supporting the Palestinian people.

Esteemed Ladies, Esteemed Gentlemen,

Algeria is well-known from the start, for its principles and stances. We have never interfered in the internal affairs of friends or brothers. At the same time, we reject interference in our own affairs. In fact, every country is free over its stances, this is something that brings us together.

The question posed for all of us is:

What are the repercussions of our stances on the struggle of the Palestinian people? This question is always posed for us. When we answer we all find ourselves in one trench to face the Zionist enemy. Let us all be on the side of the Palestinian people.

Esteemed Ladies, Esteemed Gentlemen,

We are now experiencing in our country an important phase in the history of Algeria. Despite crisis and difficult periods which our country experienced, and they are known to all, especially the period of the dark decade, we have maintained the independence of our national political decision and our firm stances vis-a- vis various issues, and this is which enabled us to stand firm on one word and one position in the different regional and international fora.

Esteemed Ladies, Esteemed Gentlemen

We are duty-bound today to review some of the landmarks of our foreign policies, and our principled stances, especially the principle which Algeria has chosen, like many Arab and Muslim countries i.e. the principle of non-alignment which needs to be revised. This principle ought to be a tool that contributes to dialogue, and realizes rapprochement between the peoples of our countries which have chosen this way, but on condition that we remain free in our political stances without any influence from any other place. The principle of non-alignment needs attention in this aspect by our Parliamentary organization under whose banner we meet today to face challenges which are awaiting us. They are many and necessitate solidarity among all of us as well as understanding on whatever agreed.

Action is also needed for resolving differences, which are addressed through sincere dialogue for the sake of unity of rank. Algeria is ready to contribute to this endeavor, and in everywhere, whether in our Islamic, or Arab or African world domains.

On this occasion, we salute the president of the Arab Parliament who is present among us as a guest of honor. We also salute the president of the African Parliament who is also present among us as a guest of honor.

Esteemed Ladies, Esteemed Gentlemen

The world, the so called- Third Word, must recover its status. Also the Islamic Parliament, the African Parliament and the Arab Parliament must have its voice heard at the level of the United Nations. The latter organization is composed of states, but parliaments are composed of representatives of peoples. What is issued by the United Nations also requires reconsideration which is an important and mooted point. And as the UN represents world states, so the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) must represent peoples, and its discourse must be at the level of the United Nations.

Esteemed Ladies, Esteemed Gentlemen

In a quick view, that has been the address of the New Algeria whose landmarks are charted by the President of the Republic Mr. Abdelmajid Tebboune. It’s course is clear and firm, and is materialized in standing by the side of the just causes in the world, primarily the central cause of our Islamic Ummah, Palestine. The hand of Algeria is extended to all brothers and friends in this Union which groups together the Parliaments of the OIC Member Countries in order to contribute to unify world and rank, as well as efforts and stances so as to face the tasks, and confront the challenges of modernization and development, being the motto of our 17th Session of the Conference of our Parliaments.

Once again I say to our honorable guests you’re among your people and on your land, Algeria. So you are all welcome in your second country, Algeria. We wish you a happy stay among us, and success to our proceedings.

We are expecting a lot from this meeting, not in our capacity as officials but because the Islamic peoples are waiting the outcomes of such gatherings and conferences to be decisions and stances that respond to their calls, cries and legitimate ambitions.

Long live Algeria! Long live the Islamic Word! Glory and immortality for the faithful martyrs in all parts of the Islamic world, especially the martyrs of Palestine and Algeria.

والسلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته