Alwaght- Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika appeared in public for the first time in a month thus ending rumors on his health.
Bouteflika, 80, has appeared rarely in public after suffering from a stroke in 2013.
He is usually seen in official news images with visiting dignitaries. There have been concerns over whether he will finish his current term after nearly two decades in power.
In a video broadcast on Sunday on state television, Bouteflika was seen receiving his minister of Africa and Arab Affairs. He was seen briefly seated at a table with Minister Abdelkader Messahel, who state media reported had briefed him on Sunday on the situation in Mali, Libya and the Sahel.
Bouteflika travelled to France in November for "periodic medical checks", but in recent months National Liberation Front chief Djamel Ould Abbes had said his health was improving - even mentioning a possible fifth term in 2019. His opponents had spoken of a "power vacuum" since his stroke.
During the meeting with Messahel, Bouteflika said that the North African country still rejects foreign interference as an option to reach any solution to conflicts in the region, as it would lead to more chaos rather than settle the crisis.
A statement from the president office said Bouteflika was given a comprehensive report about the situation and latest developments in the Arab and African regions including the Sahel, Mali and Libya.
The president gave some guidance on the resolution of conflicts, particularly those in Libya, and addressed challenges facing the Sahel region, especially in terms of the fight against terrorism, the statement said.
According to Bouteflika, peace talks and political negotiations between warring parties should be promoted as the only way to restoring peace and security.
Algeria has been making diplomatic efforts to boost peace dialogue in Libya and Mali, Algeria's two neighboring war-torn countries.
