The French magazine “Jeune Afrique” reported that the Algerian government, through its ambassador in Washington, signed a contract with the American company BGR Group to carry out lobbying operations in the United States on behalf of Algeria.
Although this practice is common in diplomacy, the choice of this particular company raised eyebrows and surprise, given its multiple connections with Israel, which contradicts Algeria’s firm positions on the Palestinian issue.
The contract is worth $720,000 per year and includes government affairs and public relations services related to bilateral relations between the United States and Algeria. Although BGR Group is one of the largest lobbying and communications firms in Washington, its selection by Algeria raises questions, especially since its main advisors include Ehud Barak, the former prime minister of Israel.
Jeune Afrique points out that the links between BGR and Israel are not limited to Barak alone, as the company has actively worked to normalize relations between Israel and Bahrain, and has also announced its support for Israel after the Hamas attack in October 2023.
The day after the contract with Algeria was signed, MDA announced the appointment of Gilad Erdan, a prominent member of Israel’s Likud party, as its global chairman.
The magazine expressed doubts that the Algerian diplomatic representation in Washington had adequately studied BGR’s activities before contracting with it, especially since Algeria considers Israel a sworn enemy and unconditionally supports the Palestinian cause.
This report highlights the potential contradiction between Algeria’s declared positions on the Palestinian issue and its relations with parties linked to Israel, which opens the door to questions about the motives for this contract and its potential repercussions on Algerian foreign policy.
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2024-09-26 01:01:24