North Africa: Algeria Sends Troops to Niger

Algeria’s parliament approved a plan to deploy soldiers to Niger on Sunday, marking a major shift in the country’s long-standing foreign policy.

The People’s National Assembly, the lower house, ratified the deployment after the Council of the Nation, the upper house, voted unanimously in favor earlier that day. The decision breaks with a doctrine of noninterference that has guided Algiers since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. Authorities have not yet specified how many troops will be sent or the exact date of arrival. The move follows a preliminary step taken nearly two months ago, when Algeria dispatched four Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30 jets, a transport aircraft, and an aerial refueling aircraft to Niamey. Officials described that earlier airlift as a response to attempts to destabilize Niger’s military-led government.

The deployment aims to protect Algeria’s economic and strategic interests, particularly oil facilities in Niger owned by the state energy company Sonatrach. Senator Belkacem Boulghiti told reporters that the mission is designed to secure economic infrastructure rather than wage war. He called the move an adaptation of doctrine to evolving circumstances. This rationale aligns with the 2020 constitutional revision, which allows the president to authorize foreign deployments with the backing of at least two-thirds of members in each parliamentary chamber. The constitution also permits participation in peacekeeping missions run by the United Nations, the African Union, and the Arab League.

The vote arrives amid warming relations between the two nations, a shift from the strain caused by Algeria’s condemnation of the 2023 coup in Niger. Tensions had deepened in April when the Algerian army shot down a Malian drone, leading Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso to recall their ambassadors from Algiers. Since then, diplomatic ties have improved. Niger’s President Abdourahamane Tchiani visited Algeria in February, and his defense minister, Salifou Mody, later traveled to Algiers for talks on security cooperation. The deployment could also safeguard energy investments, including the planned Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, which is designed to carry Nigerian gas to Europe through Niger and Algeria.

Algeria’s military capacity supports this expanded role. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported that the country spent more than $25 billion on its armed forces in 2025, making it Africa’s largest military spender. The decision also occurs amid diplomatic friction with other regional powers. In September, Algeria cut ties with the United Arab Emirates, accusing Abu Dhabi of repeated hostile and provocative actions without detailing the specific incidents. The Sahel region remains a direct concern for Algiers, which shares thousands of kilometers of border with Mali, Niger, and Libya. Instability in the area has roots in the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s government in 2011, which allowed weapons and fighters to spread into neighboring states. Since 2012, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have collectively experienced six military coups.

The regional security environment has changed significantly for other powers as well. France withdrew its troops from Mali in August 2022, Burkina Faso in February 2023, and Niger in December 2023. Roughly 100 Russian personnel linked to the Africa Corps arrived in Niamey in April 2024 to provide equipment and training. The United States pulled about 1,000 soldiers out of Niger in 2024 after the military government ended their security agreement.