Algeria will, for the first time, downgrade its representation at an Arab League summit to below the level of the foreign minister, in a move signalling continued dissatisfaction with the outcomes of recent Arab summits and what Algerian officials view as the bloc's ineffective political stance.
Government sources told The New Arab's Arabic language edition, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, on Sunday that Algeria informed both the Arab League Secretariat and Iraq, the host of the upcoming summit, that its ambassador to Cairo and permanent representative to the League, Mohamed Soufiane Berrache, will represent President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
This replaces the previously scheduled delegation led by Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf and Minister of Foreign Trade Kamel Rezig, whose trips were cancelled at the last minute due to what officials described as "domestic commitments".
This marks the first time Algeria has attended an Arab League summit without representation at least at the level of foreign minister.
In recent years, Algeria has typically been represented by its president, prime minister (as in Riyadh 2023), or the foreign minister (as in Bahrain 2024).
Tensions were already apparent in the lead-up to the last emergency summit in Cairo in March, when Algeria voiced frustration over what it viewed as prearranged decisions orchestrated by a small group of Arab states, limiting broader participation.
That discontent may explain Algeria's current diplomatic posture, although officials have not confirmed whether the downgrade was tied to broader political grievances or to another incident.
In February, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein made remarks in Rabat expressing support for Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara, a highly sensitive issue for Algiers.
A protocol misstep also clouded early preparations. Iraq's first invitation to Tebboune was delivered by a chargé d’affaires to a mid-level Algerian official, prompting what many interpreted as diplomatic snubbing.
A corrective visit followed, with Iraq's deputy prime minister formally handing over the invitation on 29 April.
President Tebboune has now missed every Arab summit, ordinary and emergency, since Algeria hosted the 2022 session, including those in Riyadh, Bahrain, and two held in Jeddah in November 2023.
Adding to the backdrop was a viral social media campaign in late April under the hashtag "Tebboune, don't go to Iraq".
While state television amplified the campaign as an expression of concern for the president’s safety, given the region's instability, it also evoked historical anxieties.
These included the mysterious illness of former president Houari Boumédiène following a 1978 trip to Baghdad and the downing of a plane carrying former Algerian foreign minister Mohamed Seddik Benyahia, who was killed by an Iraqi missile in 1982 during a mediation mission between Iraq and Iran.
The Arab League summit is scheduled to take place in Baghdad on Saturday.