Mr. Chaib receives the Australian Foreign Ministry’s Ambassador and Special Envoy for Counter-Terrorism.

The Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in charge of the National Community Abroad, Mr. Sofiane Chaib, received today Ms. Gemma Huggins, Ambassador and Special Envoy of the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Counter-Terrorism, who is paying a working visit to Algeria from September 27 to 29.

The Australian official’s visit to Algeria comes within the framework of strengthening dialogue and cooperation on counter-terrorism issues. Her program also included meetings with officials from the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) and the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL).

The meeting provided an opportunity to address the Algerian experience in counter-terrorism and violent extremism, and to exchange views on the evolution of terrorist threats—particularly on the African continent and in the Sahel region. Furthermore, both sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation and coordination and support international efforts in this field at the multilateral level, especially within the framework of the United Nations.

In this context, the Secretary of State outlined the pillars of the comprehensive and integrated approach adopted by Algeria in combating terrorism. This approach combines an effective security response with addressing the root causes and conditions exploited by terrorist organizations for recruitment and expansion. It achieves this by strengthening state institutions, supporting development and reconciliation efforts, and enhancing cooperation and coordination at both regional and international levels.

The Secretary of State also touched upon the role played by the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, in his capacity as the African Union Leader/Champion on Counter-Terrorism and Violent Extremism. He highlighted Algeria's efforts to consolidate African ownership and leadership in addressing this scourge, as well as optimizing the use of existing continental frameworks and mechanisms and adapting them to the evolving nature of terrorist threats and operating methods, given that terrorism now poses a direct threat to the continent's security and stability and an obstacle to its development efforts.

At the UN level, the Secretary of State reviewed Algeria’s contribution to strengthening international counter-terrorism efforts, particularly during its tenure on the Security Council. In this context, he recalled Algeria’s Guiding Principles adopted by the Security Council in January 2025 as a reference framework for enhancing international cooperation in combating terrorism financing and addressing the misuse of modern technologies for terrorist purposes. He also highlighted Algeria’s efforts during its presidency of the Council in the same month to drive a more effective international response to this threat.

In the same context, the Secretary of State pointed to Algeria’s active role in capacity-building in the field of counter-terrorism through its energetic participation within the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), which provides a platform for exchanging expertise and best practices and enhancing cooperation.

The meeting also allowed for an exchange of views on ways to intensify cooperation and coordination within the UN system and to enhance synergy between national, regional, and international efforts, thereby ensuring a more comprehensive and effective response to the rapidly evolving terrorist threat.