"إختراق" دبلوماسي أم فقاعة إعلامية؟ الجزائر والبحث عن "مكانة" في بحر آسيان الهادئ

Algerian media outlets, along with foreign media outlets affiliated with the regime, are blazing headlines describing Algeria's accession to ASEAN as a "clear diplomatic breakthrough" and "firm proof of Algeria's international standing." This massive media campaign leaves little doubt that the generals are seeking to transform this event into a "opening" and a resounding victory, perhaps to compensate for their fatal disappointment after their application to join BRICS was rejected. But is this "opening" real, or merely a media bubble intended to numb public opinion and divert attention from other diplomatic failures?

The reality of the alleged “membership”: a contracting party, nothing more, nothing less!

Let's dot the i's and cross the t's, and borrow the language of transparency that the generals' media lacks. What Algeria recently acquired was the status of a "high-level contracting party" in Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC)Although this treaty is an important document for promoting peace and stability, it does not grant those who join it full membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Full membership is limited to just ten countries in Southeast Asia.

The strange thing is that this characteristic, which Algeria promotes as a unique achievement, is shared by about 57 countries (The correct number according to the latest statistics), in addition to the European Union as an entity. Yes, you read that right: fifty-seven countries, from all continents of the world, have the same diplomatic “conquests” that Algeria is celebrating as the miracle of the century! From the United States, Russia, China, and Japan, to small countries far from the region, they are all “contracting parties” to this treaty. Do all of these countries also celebrate this “conquest” with the same fanfare and jubilation? Of course not. Because they are well aware that this is merely a standard diplomatic move, not real “membership” in the ASEAN bloc.

Morocco's Silence: A Lesson in Quiet Diplomacy

In contrast, we haven't heard similar uproar from Morocco, Algeria's western neighbor, despite its much more advanced relationship with ASEAN. Morocco signed the same Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in 2016, a full nine years before Algeria. At the time, Moroccan media did not describe the event as a "great opening" or "historic membership."

The matter did not stop there, as Morocco, in 2023, raised its relationship with ASEAN to the level of “Sectoral Dialogue Partner”This is the crux of the matter, and the real pain point of the generals' diplomacy. Being a "sectoral dialogue partner" means having an institutional relationship that allows you to cooperate in specific areas with the ASEAN bloc, opening up tangible economic and development prospects. This is precisely the ambition that Algeria recently expressed when its foreign minister announced, after the "great conquest," that Algeria seeks to obtain the status of "sectoral dialogue partner."

While Algeria celebrates the fulfillment of Morocco's "yesterday's ambition," Morocco is making steady strides toward deeper and more realistic partnerships. It's a painful comparison that reveals the difference between a diplomacy based on ostentation and fanfare, and one that works silently and effectively to achieve real interests.

The Farce of Algerian Diplomacy: Between BRICS and ASEAN

This “massive media campaign” about “ASEAN membership” is nothing more than a desperate attempt to cover up the recent diplomatic “farce” of the humiliating rejection of Algeria’s application to join the BRICS group. After months of flattery and false promises of “trading in Algerian dinars” and “transitioning to a multipolar world,” the response was harsh: a categorical rejection, even if the media outlets tried to explain it as a “postponement” or “in-depth study.”

The generals, who had accustomed the Algerian people to illusory victories and diplomatic illusions, found themselves in a predicament. An alternative "opening" was necessary, even if it was merely the signing of a joint treaty with 57 other countries, to be marketed as the "achievement of the century." It was a policy of evading progress, searching for any diplomatic straw to justify the ongoing failure to build a strong state with real influence on the international stage.

When will the play stop?

The question that arises is: How long will this charade continue? How long will the generals' media continue to feed the Algerian people with illusions and false victories? The standing of a nation is not built on empty slogans or misleading public relations campaigns. It is built on a strong economy, sustainable development, and calm and effective diplomacy that serves the supreme national interests, far from the clamor of outbidding.

And when Algeria becomes a "sectoral dialogue partner" with ASEAN, it may celebrate in the same way again, forgetting that it had declared it a great "conquest" years earlier. It's a vicious cycle of illusions, the price of which is being paid by the Algerian people, who deserve real diplomacy, not alleged "conquests" aimed solely at polishing the image of a shaky regime.