Former career in Journalism; 1971, joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, working in the Liberation Movements Section. Occupied various positions within the Africa Dept, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Deputy Director, Organization of African Unity and Sub-regional Organizations Division; Director, Africa Division; Director-General, Africa Division; Ambassador of Algeria to Burkina Faso; Ambassador-Counsellor and Adviser for African Affairs to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Diplomatic functions with the Permanent Mission of Algeria to the United Nations, New York, where responsible for African issues; participated as Delegate in several sessions of the United Nations General Assembly; attended several conferences of heads of state and government, Organization of African Unity and many OAU Ministerial Councils; three years as Ambassador of Algeria to the Netherlands; concurrently, Special Envoy to the President of the Republic. Since August 2001, current position; concurrently, Mediator and Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of Ethiopia and Eritrea.