On 30 January 2012, the Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Ahmed Ouyahia, Prime Minister of Algeria. During the meeting, they discussed the upcoming electoral process in the country and a possible UN role.

The Secretary-General commended the high and active commitment of Algeria to countering terrorism. He expressed concerns about the crisis in the Sahel Region and stressed the importance of a coordinated approach among the countries of the region in order to address the different challenges at hand. On Western Sahara, the Secretary-General underscored the need for parties to demonstrate political will and achieve progress on the negotiations. The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa.