Diplomacy: Sahara sparks, Spain stays silent, Morocco digs in Morocco’s response was swift. Rabat cut diplomatic ties with Algeria in 2021 and has since blocked land routes for Algerian trucks (costing Algerian exporters $1.3 billion/year in lost trade). The rivalry now plays out in third countries: Algeria’s €500 million annual arms deals with Turkey and … Read more
Diplomacy’s economic toll: AMU talks and Morocco’s shadow Algeria’s rivalry with Morocco remains the dominant diplomatic distraction. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune referenced the Western Sahara issue during a visit to Spain, though Spanish officials omitted it from their public account. The tension is not just symbolic—it diverts attention from economic reforms. Morocco’s 2023 GDP growth hit … Read more
A Shadow Alliance Takes Shape in the Sahara Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is quietly assembling a military and economic coalition with Libya, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad—all under the radar of NATO. This week, reports from Business Insider Africa confirmed what diplomats have long whispered: France’s fading influence in the Sahel is being replaced … Read more
Algeria’s decision to deploy four Su-30 fighters and a tanker aircraft to Niger following a recent coup attempt marks a bold military escalation—but its ripple effects could redefine business opportunities, regional alliances, and the diaspora’s role in Africa’s shifting geopolitical chessboard. A military move with economic leverage The deployment, reported by AeroTime, underscores Algeria’s growing … Read more
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has dismissed claims of a secret military agreement with Tunisia, a move that carries implications for regional security, economic cooperation and the confidence of Algerian entrepreneurs and the diaspora. According to Middle East Eye, the denial comes amid heightened tensions over defense partnerships in North Africa, where military ties often intersect … Read more
Italy’s deepening energy partnership with Algeria under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is creating new opportunities—and risks—for Algerian entrepreneurs, business founders and the diaspora, as Rome seeks to transform gas deals into broader strategic leverage. According to Decode39, the move marks a deliberate shift by Meloni’s government to reduce dependence on Russian and Middle Eastern suppliers … Read more
Hydrocarbons: The IMF’s Warning and Algeria’s Fossil Fuel Dilemma Algeria’s economy remains tightly bound to hydrocarbons, despite global calls for an energy transition. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has repeatedly flagged structural weaknesses in Algeria’s economic management, warning that over-reliance on fossil fuels—particularly gas—exposes the country to volatility. As Africa’s largest gas exporter, Algeria controls … Read more
In late November 2024, the International Crisis Group released a report detailing how the long-standing tensions between Algeria and Morocco have begun to reshape regional trade flows, with direct consequences for entrepreneurs and investors. According to the report, the closure of the land border between the two countries since 1994 and the severing of diplomatic … Read more
In late October, Algerian security forces rounded up over 3,000 migrants near Tamanrasset, loaded them onto buses, and drove them to the Nigerien border town of Assamaka. The operation, documented by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), marks the largest single expulsion since Algeria resumed mass deportations in 2018. Human Rights Watch reports … Read more
Germany’s push for a hydrogen pipeline from Algeria to Europe via Italy marks a shift in energy diplomacy that could reshape Algeria’s role in the global energy transition. Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), recently visited Algiers to advocate for the project, framing it as a cornerstone of Europe’s decarbonization strategy. The … Read more