Meeting with an Algerian delegation from CNASPS

 

On Friday, November 14, 2008, H.E. Mr. Abdallah Baali, Ambassador of Algeria to the United States of America, met at the Embassy with a delegation from the Algerian National Committee of Solidarity with the Sahrawi People (CNASPS) led by its President, Mr. Mehrez Lamari, and including the Mayor of the City of Algiers, Mr. Tayeb Zitouni, the Chairman of the Algerian Red Crescent, Mr. Hadj Hamou Zegguir, the representative of the Laamoudi Foundation, Mr. Mourad Laamoudi, as well as former Olympic champion and 1500m two-time gold medalist Ms. Hassiba Boulmerka.

The CNASPS delegation was in Washington to specifically attend the 25th Annual Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award ceremony which this year honored the Sahrawi activist and Western Sahara’s most prominent human rights defender Ms. Aminatou Haidar, regularly referred to as the “Sahrawi Gandhi”. Over 300 people, including the late Senator’s daughter Kerry Kennedy and David Gregory, NBC News Chief White House Correspondent who was Master of Ceremonies, attended the event held last Thursday November 13th at the Russell Senate Office Building.

The CNASPS delegation’s attendance of this year’s ceremony was the testimony of the support and solidarity of the Algerian civil society to the just cause of the Sahrawi people. During its stay in Washington, the Algerian delegation also had a number of meetings in Congress, with non-governmental organizations, as well as with members of the Algerian community.