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Mr Abdelkader Messahel

Lovemore Mataire Senior Reporter
Algerian special envoy Mr Abdelkader Messahel yesterday rubbished calls by Nigeria to invite the United States military to help fight the Boko Haram terrorist group, saying Africa has the capacity to deal with any crisis.

Speaking after paying a courtesy call on President Mugabe at State House, Mr Massahel, who is the Minister of International Co-operation and African Affairs, said he discussed with the President on the need of an African solution in fighting the terrorist group.

He said Africa has the means to fight terrorism without external intervention.

“I think we have to implement the last resolution on Boko Haram by the last AU summit in Addis Ababa,” said Mr Massahel.

Mr Massahel said his message from President Abdelazizi Bouteflika included an invitation for President Mugabe to visit the North African country next month to discuss bilateral issues and conflicts in Mali and the menace of Boko Haram in north-eastern Nigeria.

“I was instructed by President Bouteflika to convey a message to President Mugabe, a special message to visit Algeria to strengthen our bilateral relations, but also to have a chance to discuss the situation in Africa,” he said.

“Secondly, I was instructed by President Bouteflika to make a report to President Mugabe of efforts Algeria is doing to solve the crisis in Mali, Libya and also the situation in the east of Nigeria regarding Boko Haram.”

Mr Massahel said Algeria, with the help of the African Union, was trying to resolve the Malian crisis through dialogue between the two warring parties.

He said his country’s position was in tandem with the position of the African Union and the position of Zimbabwe.

Earlier on, the Permanent Secretary of the National Security Council of Burundi Mr Alain Guillaume Bunyoni paid a courtesy call on President Mugabe where he briefed him about the impending elections in his country.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Mr Bunyoni said he had been sent by President Kurunzunzu to convey a special message to President Mugabe on the need to strengthen the two countries’ bilateral relations.

“We are entering the progression period before the election, which is to happen in two months,” he said.

“We have already sent out invitation to the United Nations and we are appealing other to organisations to send out papers so that they can be in Burundi before, during and after the elections.

“We are indeed willing to hold transparent and democratic elections.”

Burundi is scheduled to hold legislative elections on May 26, while presidential elections are scheduled for June.