ALGIERS – Wednesday, 27 September 2023 (APS) – UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association Clément Nyaletsossi Voule finished his official visit to Algeria, during which he was “given all possible facilities” for his meetings with the officials and other players of the civil society, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad said Wednesday in a statement.
“At the invitation of the national top authorities, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association Clément Nyaletsossi Voule paid an official visit to Algeria from 16 to 26 September 2023,” said the source.
In this regard, the ministry underlined that “this visit is part of Algeria’s invitations to the different officials of the UN Human Rights Council, under its 3rd universal periodic review in 2017.”
According to the source, “it embodies the implementation of Algeria’s international commitments, and particularly the tradition of the constructive collaboration it has with the different international human rights mechanisms.”
“The country visits are part of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate and come at the official invitation of the concerned governments,” said the source, underlining that “such visits aim to intensify the efforts for the promotion, the respect and protection of the human rights at the national level and to benefit from the UN expertise to move forward in this dynamic and face the relating challenges.”
During his stay in Algeria, “the special Rapporteur held discussions with the government’s members and Algerian top officials, notably at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad, the Ministry of Interior, Local Authorities and National Planning, including the Directorate General of the National Police, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Wakfs, the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security, the Ministry of Communication and the Ministry of National Solidarity, Family and Women’s Affairs,” added the source.
He also met with the adviser of the President of the Republic in charge of national, international and non-governmental organizations, as well as the local authorities and the representatives of the elected assemblies in the provinces of Algiers, Bejaia and Oran.
He “also held working meetings at the level of independent national institutions, like the National Council for Human Rights, the National Economic, Social and Environment Council, the High Authority for Transparency, Prevention and Fight against Corruption, the National Independent Authority of Elections and the National Civil Society Observatory.”
UN Special Rapporteur met also with “the Committee on Legal and Admirative Affairs and of Freedoms at the People’s National Assembly.”
The ministry stressed that “in addition to these official visits, the UN Special Rapporteur was given all possible facilities to meet with the members of the civil society, representatives of political parties and others players that he had freely chosen.
“This visit was the opportunity for frank and constructive exchanges between the Algerian authorities and the Special Rapporteur on issues coming under his mandate,” affirmed the ministry, pointing out that “these meetings enabled them to become fully aware of efforts that have been made and the major achievements made by Algeria in exercising the rights of assembly and association.”