25 April 2022; MEMO: Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune yesterday renewed his support for the Libyan government led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.
"Dbeibeh's government possesses international legitimacy," Tebboune told reporters in Algiers, adding that his country would not "host a summit that deliberates a conflict over legitimacy between Dbeibeh's government and the government of Fathi Bashagha."
Tebboune pointed out that his country was asked to organise a summit on the Libyan crisis, noting that Algiers was yet to "accept nor reject."
"Algeria would not host the event if there were no signs of success beforehand," he stressed.
The President went on to reaffirmed that his country would not "abandon Palestine," explaining that the Arab country "was and still is one of Algeria's priorities since the era of the late President Houari Boumediene."
He added: "Algeria will not give up on the Western Sahara, because Palestine and the Sahar are related to decolonisation."
Morocco has been in conflict with the Polisario group over the Western Sahara since 1975, after the Spanish occupation ended. It turned into an armed confrontation that lasted until 1991 and ended with the signing of a ceasefire agreement.
Rabat insists on its right to govern the region, but proposed autonomous rule in the Western Sahara under its sovereignty, but the Polisario Front wants a referendum to let the people determine the future of the region. Algeria has been supporting the Front's proposal and hosts refugees from the region.
