Kabylia Submits First Ever Request to Board of Peace To Open Unprecedented International Mediation

LONDON / WASHINGTON (SIWEL) — The Kabyle Government-in-Exile (Anavad) has formally submitted a written request to the Board of Peace, an international initiative launched by U.S. President Donald Trump, seeking international mediation on the issue of the Kabyle people’s right to self-determination.

This initiative represents the first known referral to this mechanism by a people calling for dialogue, good offices, and a peaceful resolution of a self-determination process grounded in international law.

---

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kabyle Government in Exile Submits First Historic Request to President Trump’s Board of Peace, Seeking International Mediation on Self-Determination

London / Washington — January 29, 2026 — The Kabyle Government in Exile (Anavad), representing the Federal Republic of Kabylia, has formally submitted a written appeal to the United States Board of Peace, established by US President Donald J. Trump in January, requesting international assistance to help resolve the Kabyle people’s long-standing and peaceful campaign for self-determination.

This submission marks the first known instance of a people formally approaching the Board of Peace to seek mediation, dialogue, and a peaceful resolution to a self-determination process grounded in international law.

In its letter, Anavad sets out the political, legal, and humanitarian context underpinning the Kabyle people’s claim, including decades of peaceful political mobilisation, repeated attempts at dialogue with the Algerian authorities, and escalating repression against Kabyle political, cultural, and religious life. The letter calls on the Board of Peace to use its good offices to facilitate a constructive and non-violent pathway toward resolving the Kabyle question.

President Ferhat Mehenni, President of the Kabyle Government in Exile, said the submission reflects Kabylia’s continued commitment to peace and dialogue:

“The Kabyle people have consistently chosen peaceful, lawful, and democratic means to assert their rights. By turning to the Board of Peace, we are reaffirming that our objective is not conflict, but a just and durable resolution based on dialogue, dignity, and international law.”

The Kabyle leadership notes that all internal avenues for democratic expression within Algeria have been effectively closed, with peaceful activism criminalised and political representatives detained or forced into exile. Against this backdrop, Anavad argues that international mediation is now essential to prevent further deterioration and to ensure stability in North Africa.

The submission builds on recent legal opinions by independent British barristers confirming that the Kabyle people constitute a “people” under international law and possess the right to self-determination. It also follows the formal Declaration of Independence proclaimed by the Kabyle Government in Exile in December 2025 after receiving a democratic mandate from Kabyles worldwide.

Anavad emphasises that its approach is neither hostile nor confrontational toward Algeria, but instead seeks a negotiated and peaceful outcome that respects the rights of the Kabyle people while contributing to regional stability, security, and cooperation with Western partners.

The Kabyle Government in Exile has invited UK and US media to review the submission to the Board of Peace and to engage with Kabyle representatives on the broader implications for diplomacy, conflict prevention, and democratic self-determination in North Africa.

---

Notes to Editors

Kabylia and the Kabyle People

Kabylia is a mountainous region of North Africa, along the Mediterranean coast, inhabited by the Kabyle people, an indigenous Amazigh people with a distinct language, culture, and historical identity.
Kabylia resisted successive invasions by Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, and Ottomans. It lost its sovereignty in 1857 following French colonial conquest, when it was annexed to the colonial Algerian entity constituted by France in the nineteenth century. Kabylia remains under Algerian state authority since Algeria’s independence in 1962.
The Kabyle population is estimated at around 12 million people, including approximately 2 million living in the diaspora, mainly in Europe and North America.

The Kabyle Government-in-Exile (Anavad)

The Kabyle Government in Exile, known as Anavad, was established in 2010 and operates from Paris. It functions alongside a Kabyle Parliament and judiciary and has advocated for self-determination exclusively through peaceful and democratic means. The Kabyle Government in Exile proclaimed the independence of the Federal Republic of Kabylia on December 14, 2025.

The Board of Peace

The Board of Peace was established by President Donald J. Trump in January to promote conflict resolution, dialogue, and negotiated solutions to international disputes, with an emphasis on preventing escalation and fostering durable peace.

---

nb/wbw
SIWEL 300202 JAN 26