A Role for Russia in the Western Sahara? But second, Algeria is going in a very dark and dangerous direction by becoming increasingly aligned with Russia and Iran. The 2023 finance bill drawn up by the Algerian government in early October provides for a 130 percent increase in the countrys military budget, to $22.6 billion. In April 2003 he received a working visit to Moscow by the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei. Global weapons trade targets Africa as imports to Algeria and Morocco [34], Since 2000, Algeria has supplied Greece with natural gas by virtue of a long-term Agreement between the two countries. Algeria was close with the Soviet regime in the 1970s and 1980s because of the supply of arms. For the first time since former Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflikas 2008 trip to Moscow, an Algerian head of state is expected for an official Russian state visit. Algeria enjoys friendly relations with Pakistan, which offered support during Algeria's struggle for independence. French remained the language of instruction in most schools and the language used in more than two-thirds of all newspapers and periodicals and on numerous television programs. document.write(' | ' + d.getHours() + ':' + minutes + ''); ALGIERS - Lieutenant general Said Chengriha, Algeria's army chief of staff, discussed military cooperation and ways to strengthen it with the secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Patrushev, Algerian State television reports. That division is one area the president-elect Bola Tinubu promises to address upon assuming office on 29 May. Hence, in October 1967, Algiers hosted the meeting of the Group of 77, which united 77 developing countries on major revendications: a global reform of the terms of trade and a greater collaboration between Third World countries to set the prices for their raw materials. Military scramble 'mirrors Cold War' as Russia, US and China vie for influence, Ukraine sows its offensive across Africa through grain diplomacy, 'I didnt threaten Africa over Russia sanctions', says top US diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Russia using food and energy as weapon against Europe and Africa, says vice-chancellor Habeck, Sjavas voice is unmistakable. Even though Boumediene took strong public stands, as when he claimed in 1969 after a summer of violence against Algerians living in France that if the French government could not insure the security of Algerian immigrants, he would repatriate them regardless of the cost, Algerian-French relations were progressively normalized during the 1970 decade. The E.U. B. In July 2001, he became the first Algerian President to visit the US White House in 16 years. This visit, followed by a second meeting in November 2001, a meeting in New York in September 2003, and President Bouteflika's participation at the June 2004 G8 Sea Island Summit, is indicative of the growing relationship between the United States and Algeria. [25], Cyprus and Algeria have concluded various agreements. A. Since 1976, Algeria has supported the Polisario Front, a group claiming to represent the population of Western Sahara, which is based among the 90,000 Sahrawi refugees who reside in refugee camps in Algeria. More generally, Algeria continued to do business with the West, and avoided to be overly dependent on Soviet support. C. The Allies first fought Rommel in Morocco and Algeria, then moved eastward into Egypt. The agreement is set to be signed during an expected visit by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to Moscow in December. Algeria-Russia: Historic, Strategic Relations Between Two Powers Therefore, the competition between the West and the USSR gave Algeria opportunities to diversify its economic partnerships. Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox. It will go alongside a long list of other items, from security to fixing the collapsing currency, rebuilding trust in elections and fixing abysmal electricity provision. In September 1998, in Moscow to attend the 100th Inter-Parliamentary Conference was Chairman of the Council of Nation (upper house). Algeria Building Closer Alliances With Russia, Iran, Terrorist Groups [39], Algeria and Russia have had a strong military cooperation since the Algerian independence, as Algiers turned towards the USSR for purchasing armaments. Russian aid workers have a long history of work in Algeria, particularly in the health sector, while thousands of Algerian students, some of whom have been elevated to the post of minister, have attended former Soviet universities and institutes. This military transfer has made Algeria the third largest recipient of Russian arms in the world. However, the country's strategic advantages increased its importance to the eyes of the Western block. Why Europe depends on Russia for natural gas - CNBC Algeria Is Increasingly Aligned With Russia, Spanish Minister Says, FILE PHOTO: Spanish Economy Minister Nadia Calvino arrives at a Eurozone finance ministers meeting in Brussels, Belgium March 14, 2022. var minutes = d.getMinutes(); In a post-colonial Algeria, subscribing to this view was a necessity. Algeria publicly condemned the terrorist attacks on the United States and has been strongly supportive of the international war against terrorism. The approximation by the Russian press is that 'Moscow supplied 11 billion dollars in military equipment to Algeria between 1962 and 1989, equal to 70-80 percent of Algeria's inventory' and this deal mainly came about through the use of loans. However, the Third World project also materialized through the various conferences and international organizations that united developing countries. Relations between the two countries have been traditionally friendly since Algeria's first years of independence. Algerian officers are especially keen to acquire submarines, Su-57 stealth aircraft, Su-34 bombers, and Su-30 fighters. South Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Algeria, Madagascar, Namibia, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and Zimbabwe all abstained. Holy See has an apostolic nunciature in Algiers. World War II - Operation Torch | Britannica "Algeria, a global energy exporter with Africa's largest defense budget, is one of Russia's top arms export clients, behind only India and China," according to a report by the U.S. Congressional Research Service. Italy and Algeria's relations is viewed as important for stability in the region. Skip to content. However, these global Third World solidarity links went further than Africa: for example, the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam opened a permanent office in Algiers (one of only two that were located in non-communist countries). Indeed, because of their dependence on raw materials and their lack of hard currencies, commerce between Third World countries was negligible. Blinken and others in Washington are also deeply concerned that Algeria is far too close to the terrorist regime in Iran. Russia's ally Belarus is also taking part in Vostok-2022 along with the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Tajkistan and other states including Syria,. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently discussed economic issues including gas supply to the E.U. In the midst of a changing global power structure with diplomatic relations hanging on by a thread elsewhere, Algeria and Russia have maintained strong ties. Although the land border between Morocco and Algeria was closed in the wake of a terrorist attack, the two have worked at improving relations. Russia allies: 7 key countries that could side with Putin now Ukraine Sudan, Mali, and the Central African Republic have long been Russia's African allies. Russian Ambassador to Algeria Igor Belyaev estimated in July 2018 that Algeria accounts for half of Russia's arms sales to Africa. Indeed, the Algerian foreign policy had been influenced by Frantz Fanons and other radical Third World thinkers urgings to export revolution to other countries suffering from the yoke of imperial oppression. Agreement on Mutual Protection and Promotion of Investments (2000). However, China was inferior economically and militarily to the USSR, and could not match the USSR's industrial equipment and sophisticated armaments. Iran is reportedly supplying arms to the Polisario Front for use against Morocco. In Algeria, the consortium operates OJSC "NK" Rosneft "- OJSC" Stroytransgaz ", which is involved in the development of hydrocarbons in Block-245 south (Illizi province). That is what we believe will change the continent, and that is what we report on. 1) Secure North Africa, and with it, the road to the Middle East and India. By Farid Alilat Bouteflika's presidency, which began in April 1999, was followed shortly by Putin's presidency and the two leaders pushed for the return to more cordial relations, including discussions of arms sales and economic cooperation. "December"); All texts published by the Warsaw Institute Foundation may be disseminated on the condition that their origin is credited. In MarchJune 2010, a group of "Gazprom" to drill the first exploration well in Africa in the perimeter of El Assel. Algeria plays balancing act as Europe tries cut Russian gas | Russia In terms . In 1967, Algeria temporarily cut off relations with USA. Algeria, Russia hold joint military exercise in Mediterranean Who are Algeria allies? - YourQuickInfo [2] Indeed, from 1962 to 1989, Algeria spent approximately 11 billion dollars for Soviet weapons: planes (MiG-21, MiG-23 et Su-24), tanks (T-55 et T-72), armored vehicles, several ships (including . Algeria is one of Russia's main military allies on the African continent and a major buyer of Russian weapons. Moreover, they more pragmatically believed that to defend themselves from American hostility, they ought to encourage revolutions elsewhere in Latin America and in Africa as to distract the United States and create new allies. Algeria also hopes to acquire new air defense systems, such as the S-400. At the same time as these relations were occurring, Algeria had taken an active stance in the Non-Aligned Movement. Spain has an embassy in Algiers and a consulate-general in. An Overview of Russia-Algeria Military Cooperation "This visit shows the firm and explicit will of our two countries to strengthen the strategic and historic partnership that characterizes our bilateral relations, in particular in the field of military cooperation", said the head of the Algerian army. Indeed, the Algerian official declarations against American interventionism in Africa and as far as North Vietnam, and their support to left-wing revolutionary groups against American-supported regimes (notably in Angola, but also in Latin America through their close connections with Cuba) increased the hostility against Algeria in American opinion. Russia is seeking to upend the status quo in Africa, using insecurity and diplomatic disputes with Western powers as a springboard to expand its presence on the continent. Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. The war in Ukraine has twice boosted Algeria among the international community, analysed Adlene Mohammedi, Scientific Director of the AESMA Strategic Research Centre and a Russo-Arab geopolitics researcher. His visit has fuelled fears. "Algeria, a global energy exporter with Africa's largest defense budget, is one of Russia's top arms export clients, behind only India and China," according to a report by the U.S. Congressional Research Service. Contending that the Sahrawis have a right to self-determination under the UN Charter, Algeria has provided the Polisario with material, financial, and political support and sanctuary in southwestern Algeria's Tindouf Province. tunisai Afghanistan and isreel. Economic and trade cooperation was carried out between the two countries since the 1960s. Algeria's long-standing defense ties with Moscow offer a template for what U.S. officials fear will become more the norm across Africa, as Russia pours weapons, mercenaries and money into. Algeria Navigates Great-Power Rivalry Amid Energy Export Boom For instance, its position at the crossroads of the Arab and the sub-Saharan worlds enabled Algeria to create links and unity between these two regions: at Algeria's request, Arab countries supported Angolan and other African revolutions, while African countries endorsed the Palestinian cause. Give yourself a headstart: Russia has been one of Venezuela's closest allies since 2006, when President Hugo Chavez, a socialist strongman and fierce critic of the United States, signed a $2.9 billion arms deal in . if (minutes < 10){minutes = "0"+minutes;} Sergey Lavrov Confirms Depth of Russia's Alliance with Algeria Agreement on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation (1982). This relationship was mutually beneficial: Algeria received Argentinian training guerrilleros, a delegation of the Venezuelan National Liberation Front, and even sent armaments to the latter (in an Algerian ship, as to avoid American control) at Cuba's request. The Russian embassy is located in Algiers. In December 1963, the Soviet Union and Algeria signed an agreement on economic and technical cooperation. Algeria and Russia have had a strong military cooperation since the Algerian independence, as Algiers turned towards the USSR for purchasing armaments. U.S.-ALGERIA RELATIONS Algeria is a strategically located country with which the United States engages on diplomatic, law enforcement, economic, and security matters. Russia ranked second, with $7.4bn in arms sales, followed by France with $6.2bn, Israel with $4.4bn and the UK with $4.1bn. However, this greater focus on the countrys economic needs and traditional Islamic culture did not end the period of international ambitions. Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic has an embassy in Algiers. This article originally appeared on ALL ARAB NEWS and is reposted with permission. Friday, 03 February 2023 09:29 AM EST. [27] In July 2000, Algerian news agency APS signed a cooperation agreement with the Cypriot news agency[28] that covers exchange of English news items and photographs. MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia and Algeria are striving to ensure stability on global energy markets, so there should be no attempts to play with prices, as the United States and its allies are trying to do with respect to Russian oil and gas, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. As Charles de Gaulle stated to the Algerian finance minister in 1963, If the Algerian government respects its commitments and takes into account our interests, it can count on our cooperation. [1] Finally, in 1988 Libya was invited to participate in the Inter-Maghrib commission that was responsible for developing the North African Union.