Boumediene took pride in Algeria's non-aligned status, by claiming its distance from both Soviet-style socialism and Western capitalism, while the country enjoyed an increasing prosperity. In May 1964, the countries signed an agreement, under which the USSR agreed to provide technical assistance in the construction of a metallurgical plant in the city of Annaba (another long-term loan of 115 million rubles was granted for these needs). Since its independence, Algeria has been a member of the Arab League, the African Union and of the United Nations. In April 2003 he received a working visit to Moscow by the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei. It is difficult to explain this level of dependence., READ MORE Russia using food and energy as weapon against Europe and Africa, says vice-chancellor Habeck. Algeria's absence from the list of countries that voted against Russia's invasion of Ukraine . In a bold assertion, Mohamed Dagalo - the deputy head of Sudan's ruling council - admitted in February that the 2021 coup, in which army leaders overthrew civilian authorities, was a "mistake". Newly independent, Algeria recognized the importance of 'unity and convergence' in Third World countries in order to achieve domestic goals. But the bigger question is this: How can Algeria remain one of the most important clients of Russia's military industries while simultaneously positioning itself as southern Europe's most important supplier of natural gas? [2] In 1993, it was estimated that 90% of Algerian army's inventory was of Soviet origin.[3]. Firstly, the Non-Aligned Movement, which was founded in Belgrade in 1961, and which Algeria joined shortly after its independence, defined the concept of non-alignment in the Cold War as a way for poor countries to exploit the conflicts and tensions and hence to promote their own interests. For Russia, Algeria is the third largest arms importer after China and India. Reports show that the national rate of poverty in Algeria is as high as 23 percent. 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. var d_names = new Array("Sunday", "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", var m_names = new Array("January", "February", "March", "April", "May", [citation needed] The USSR was the first country in the world to de facto recognize the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic in October 1960, and then de jure on March 23, 1962, by establishing diplomatic relations with this country (a few months before the official proclamation of its independence). Algeria is one of Spain's main suppliers of gas and Spain has said it will firmly defend its national interests and those of its citizens and companies. "December"); Who are Algeria allies? - YourQuickInfo A map shows the course of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany on the exterior of an informational booth close to the receiving station for Nord Stream 2 on February 02, 2022 near . Russia-Ukraine war: decoding how African countries voted at the UN Russia struggles with loss of Su-35 fighter deals | Shephard President Tebbounes next Russian visit, against the backdrop of an increased military budget of $23bn for the upcoming year, could lead to the signing of new weapons deals with the Russian Federation. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, meets Algeria's FM Ramtane Lamamra on Feb. 11, 2014. These abstentions did not go unnoticed by the European Commission, however. According to historians it was 'with the observation that recent co-operation between Moscow and Washington looked very much like a superpower 'pretension to reign over the world". Algeria currently enjoys very strong relations with Russia. [34], Since 2000, Algeria has supplied Greece with natural gas by virtue of a long-term Agreement between the two countries. [30] Cyprus is considering Algeria as a potential partner to assist with extracting untapped oil and gas from the island's exclusive economic zone. [25], Cyprus and Algeria have concluded various agreements. In 2006, Algeria's 5.7 billion dollar debt was forgiven, and Algeria gave a 7.5 billion dollar arms deal to Russia, the first major African arms deal of Russian Federation. Whose side are Middle Eastern countries on? - DW - 03/03/2022 - DW.COM Entelis, John P. with Lisa Arone. For Moscow, Algerialike other African and Arab countriesillustrates this impasse between the West and the rest of the world.. Why Russia is increasing military ties with Saudi Arabia and Egypt Australia is accredited to Algeria from its embassy in Paris, France. If you are reading this message your browser has Javascript disabled. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Is Algiers a Moscow ally in the Ukrainian offensive? Georgia is accredited to Algeria from its embassy in Madrid, Spain. "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. As to the United States, they wanted to prevent Algeria from becoming yet another socialist country joining the ranks of the Soviet block. He noted that Russian aggression in Ukraine, Syria, and Libya was driving up the cost of oil and gas, as well as food prices, and creating tremendous instability and human suffering. The Confucius Institute is a major educational initiative, and just one well-known example of how China has been making a "Big Bet on Soft Power" according to the Center on Foreign Relations.China enjoys favorable public opinion in many countries. [32][33] In 2003, Greek [National] Defence Minister Ioannos Papandoniou visited Algeria to discuss ways to consolidate military cooperation between Algeria and Greece. 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. Please enable Javascript in order to access to this story. It's time for the U.S., Europe and Israel along with our real Arab allies in North Africa and the Middle East to recognize what Algeria stands for, take necessary countermeasures, and levy sanctions as should already be done under U.S. law. "The countries of North Africa and the Middle East have experienced themselves the consequences of Russia's military campaigns before," Blinken said at a press conference following his meeting with the Algerian president. Donations from private persons are necessary for the continuation of our mission. [36], Two countries have a strong connection, as northern part of Algeria's today was formerly territory of the Roman Empire which was originally from modern-day Italy. 6. Algeria is a rich nation and the third most important economy in the Middle East and North Africa, but its people are poor. A number of Arab countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, South Yemen, and Syria, were, for a period of time, Soviet clients and quasi-allies in the Cold War. Other countries. Russia in the Middle East: Moscow's Objectives, Priorities, and Policy A new law meant to punish Russia for election interference could force the Trump administration to sanction some of its closest allies -- including Saudi Arabia and India -- a possibility that has . In the meantime, Algiers can count on Moscows support in their quest to join BRICS, the organisation currently populated by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. READ MORE Military scramble 'mirrors Cold War' as Russia, US and China vie for influence. Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. Since his inauguration in 1999, President Bouteflika has sought to extend Algeria's international influence, traveling extensively throughout the world. [16], The Front de Liberation Nationale (FLN) opened a representative office in Tokyo in 1958. Behind closed doors and in public comments to reporters Blinken urged Algeria to significantly dial back its long-standing alliance with Russia in the light of the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin has proven himself such a cruel and brutal aggressor in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Are France and Algeria allies? Countering US dominance: Russia and Algeria share a common interest in countering US dominance, which makes them natural allies. + ' ' + d.getFullYear() + ''); More so than political will, technical capacity may limit Algeria's ability to increase output rapidly. office on 29 May. "Thursday", "Friday", "Saturday"); Algeria was close with the Soviet regime in the 1970s and 1980s because of the supply of arms. B. In April 2006, then-Foreign Minister Bedjaoui met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Algeria-Russia: Historic, Strategic Relations Between Two Powers This military transfer has made Algeria the third largest recipient of Russian arms in the world. While the official date and main subject matter for President Abdelmadjid Tebbounes visit to Russia remains to be seen, it is almost assured that the war in Ukraine and the potential for new geopolitical, economic partnerships will be a topic for discussion, along with the possibility for new arms deals. OAO "Gazprom" is working on exploration and development in Algeria's hydrocarbon reserves in the license area El Assel (three blocks with total area of 3083km2. "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. Starting from the mid-2000s, Moscow has gradually made a comeback to the region after a decades-long hiatus. [35] The exports of Algerian products to Greece amounted to $89 million in 2001, including mainly oil and oil derivatives, natural gas, inorganic chemicals, iron and steel. Sergey Lavrov Confirms Depth of Russia's Alliance with Algeria At the United Nations General Assembly's emergency special session this week, Algeria was among 35 nations to abstain in response to a resolution condemning Russia's "aggression against Ukraine" and demanding that Russia immediately withdraw its forces. In early November Algeria submitted an official application to join the emerging-market bloc of BRICS, which groups Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, a sign of the countrys pro-Russian sympathies. [32] As of 2009, the two countries had in place three bilateral agreements: The Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Greece in February 2001, returning a previous visit paid by the Foreign Minister of Greece to Algeria. Speaking . Their alliance was also geopolitically strategic: Algeria constituted a gate into the African and Arab worlds for Yugoslavia, who intended to create stronger links with this continent. The shock of Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to send ripples around the world, including to some unexpected places. But it's a country to which we need to pay much closer attention. 1 arms supplier (67% of its arms imports in 2015-2019 were from Russia). Algerias approach to international politics was motivated by the need for a liberation from the Western neocolonial economic superiority. Algeria's stances have extended to the United Nations: after abstaining from a 02 March 2022 UN resolution vote demanding Russia's cessation of force against Ukraine, Algiers submitted no vote on the UN General Assembly's 07 April 2022 decision to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council (HRC), and again abstained from the 12 October 2022 Under Ben Bella, diplomatic relations with France were normalized, the negotiations concerning oil and gas leading to an agreement in 1964. 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. A Japanese embassy was opened in Algiers in 1964, and an Algerian embassy was opened in Tokyo the same year. Algeria is one of Russia's main military allies on the African continent and a major buyer of Russian weapons. U.S. isn't prepared for Russia, China challenges of 2023 This article originally appeared on ALL ARAB NEWS and is reposted with permission. D. (Reporting by Christina Thykjaer and Inti LandauroEditing by Gareth Jones and Angus MacSwan), Tags: Africa, Algeria, European Union, Europe, Spain. Mikhail Bogdanov, Russias Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Special Representative of the President of Russia for the Middle East, was not shy in welcoming Algerias November 2022 candidacy. We support the Algerian initiative to draw up new terms for a bilateral partnership. 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 Algeria, the consortium operates OJSC "NK" Rosneft "- OJSC" Stroytransgaz ", which is involved in the development of hydrocarbons in Block-245 south (Illizi province). Chengriha received the Russian official while he was visiting Algeria as the head of an important delegation, said the broadcaster, reporting that the two officials exchanged "analyses and points of view on issues of common interest". The purpose of "Torch" was to hem Rommel's forces in between U.S. troops on the west and British troops to the east. Algeria has seen two Bouteflika visits to Moscow, one Putin visit to Algiers in March 2006, one Dimitri Medvedev visit to Algiers in October 2020, several trips by Algerian ministers of defence to Moscow, and now a Putin invitation to President Tebboune. It is worth mentioning that the North African region increased military . Contacts | Disclaimer | Privacy | Change cookie consent | Copyright, vai alla navigazione tra le aree tematiche, Algeria-Russia: talks to boost military cooperation. Ukraine's western allies have warned of "severe costs" for countries helping Russia evade sanctions as concern mounts about China's role in Moscow's war economy and the . Throughout the Algerian War of Independence, the Soviet Union had been providing military, technical and material assistance to Algeria. Moreover, Yugoslavia and Algeria shared similar views on international matters, such as the necessity for the extension of the Non-Aligned Movement. The article alleged Tindouf-based criminal financial activities on European soil, further underscoring the concern that Algeria's close ties with the Polisario Front pose a threat to Western interests beyond North Africa. [1] In 1987 the departure from power in Tunisia of President Habib Bourguiba and his replacement by the more diplomatic Zine el Abidine Ben Ali brought the two nations closer again.[1]. [5][6], Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 June 2006. By strengthening its relationship with Algeria, Russia could be able to persuade Algiers to weaponize its gas supplies, as it has in the past, and wreak further havoc on the European energy grid and natural gas prices. swing around when he asks, in his booming voice, the price for two bottles of water. Other partners being considered are Libya, Russian and Algeria full details of the negotiations have not yet been released to the public domain. Wiki User. December 1418, 2010 in Moscow, the Week of Algerian cinema. A Role for Russia in the Western Sahara? During George W Bush's presidency, Algiers and Washington were both investing in efforts to strengthen ties. Medvedev spoke July 7, 2008 with A.Buteflikoy at the summit of the "Group of Eight" in Toyako. On November 18, 2008, the President of Argentina Cristina Fernndez de Kirchner made an official visit to Algiers and met her counterpart, the President of Algeria, Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Moreover, Algeria advocated for the creation within the organization of a liberation committee, the Committee of Nine, to support national liberation movements (even by military means). 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. Algeria has taken a lead in reviving the Arab Maghreb Union with other regional Arab countries. In Russia and Nigeria public approval of China is over 70% as of 2019, and these are two major examples of China's allies. It has worked closely with other African countries to establish the New Partnership for Africa's Development. Calvino said she had noticed a growing rapprochement between Algeria and Russia at the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund in April. Therefore, if the multipolarity of international relations the traditional East versus West bipolarism, but also the intra-communist poles and the development of Third World alternatives had benefitted the non-aligned states such as Algeria, the latter's increasing reliance on the Soviet Union especially since the Sand War against Morocco in 1963 risked jeopardizing the country's independence and its relations with other powers, such as the United States or China.