Algeria has offered formal reaction to their non-invitation to join BRICS last week which surprised many.
During a press conference on the Algerian president's initiative for the settlement of the crisis in Niger this August 29, the country's Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf also expressed himself about Algeria's candidacy to join the BRICS, which was not retained at the last summit.
"Although we have not joined BRICS, we will pursue further steps to join the New Development Bank and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization," he vowed.
He assured that there was "no animosity" behind this decision."We cannot consider not joining the group as a loss in a match."
Attaf indicated that "the President of the Republic has oriented one of the axes of foreign policy towards Central Asia and Asia". "The BRICS have in no way altered these orientations or our ability to defend our interests, within the framework of the new orientation decided by the President of the Republic."
No Enmity: They Are 'Friendly Countries'
According to the official, Algeria still aspires to join BRICS to strengthen the frameworks for the deployment of its foreign policy, assuring that despite its non-membership of the group, it "will resolutely pursue its choices."
"The BRICS are friendly countries, even allies, and for a long time, and even before the BRICS, we used to deal and take joint action with these countries on the most important foreign policy issues […] and there is no enmity with any of them," he said.
During the press conference, he reaffirmed the position of Algeria regarding the crisis in Niger: the double refusal of a possible military intervention and the coup. He also outlined the six axes of Algerian mediation to find a solution to the crisis.