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WEST AFRICA ALGERIA

Algiers strives to return to centre stage in the Sahel

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“The Sahel threatened by a jihadist tornado”

SAHEL

The Sahel threatened by a jihadist tornado

As the Sahel security crisis worsens, with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) increasingly active, the states in the region find themselves in an ever more vulnerable position. In an attempt to stem the flow of jihadist propaganda which now risks overflowing into the coastal states, a number of security operations have been launched, among them Operation Barkhane, the G5 Sahel joint force, MINUSMA, and the Coalition for the Sahel. [...]

Smaïl Chergui, Africa Union peace and security commissioner. © Reuters

Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune has been trying for several weeks to bring his influence to bear on the situation in the Sahel. He is relying particularly on African Union peace and security commissioner Smaïl Chergui, who is leading an intense lobbying operation in favour of deployment of a 3,000-strong AU force in the region. [...] (897 words)

Issue dated 08/06/2020 Reading time 4 minutes

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Diplomacy

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ALGERIA
Abdelmadjid Tebboune
Abdelmalek Droukdel
African Union
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
Boualem Chebihi
Coalition for the Sahel
G5 Sahel
Groupe salafiste pour la prédication et le combat
Ibrahima Dahirou Dembélé
Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin
Mahamat Moussa Faki
Malian Armed Forces
Nouakchott Process
Operation Barkhane
Operation Serval
Said Chanegriha
Smaïl Chergui
West African Economic and Monetary Union

Algiers and Rabat jostle for influence in the Sahel

Since the 18 August Mali coup and with tensions flaring over Western Sahara, the Sahel has become the new stage for Algeria and Morocco's battle for influence. [...]

Bah N'Daw hosted by Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad on 13 March. © Presidency of the Republic of Mali

SAHEL Diplomacy 19/02/2021

3,000-strong African Union force in Sahel abandoned

The project spearheaded by the African Union's former peace and security commissioner Smaïl Chergui to create a pan-African force of 3,000 men looks like being dropped by his successor Bankole Adeoye, who is nevertheless keen for the AU to play a central role in the Sahel as France prepares for a "substantial" troop withdrawal this summer. [...]

ALGERIA Business 12/01/2021

Algeria reaps what sowed from its eastern European wheat purchases

Separate shipments of wheat from Latvia and Estonia have been found to be sub-standard following their arrival in the ports of Algiers and Ghazaouet. These incidents are the result of Algeria's new policy on wheat imports. [...]

MALI Defence Politics 14/09/2020

Operation Barkhane strengthens its emergency care capacity

Following the death on 5 September of two French soldiers, who were caught in the explosion of a crudely made bomb not far from Tessalit on the border between Algeria and Mali, the French army's health service is to set up a new intensive care and emergency surgery unit. [...]

MALI UNITED KINGDOM Defence Politics 07/09/2020

Barkhane's British contingent worried about Mali developments

Operation Newcombe, the British deployment to Operation Barkhane, is gathering information on the political and social situation in Mali to better understand the evolving security environment in the aftermath of the coup that led to President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta's resignation. [...]

MALI MOROCCO Diplomacy 02/09/2020

Rabat reaches out to post-coup Bamako Free

Ever since the military seized power in Mali on 18 August, Morocco has been building ties with the coup leaders as Algiers, wanting to retain its influence in Bamako, looks on with a wary eye. [...]

Morocco's ambassador to Mali Hassan Naciri and CNSP president Assimi Goita met in Bamako on 25 August 2020. © CNSP/Twitter

SAHEL ITALY Diplomacy 01/07/2020

Rome wants top seat in the Sahel

Italy, which is already very active on the Libyan crisis, is looking to strengthen its position in the neighbouring Sahel region through the opening of new diplomatic missions. [...]

Italian ambassador to Niger Marco Prencipe with Nigerien Prime Minister Brigi Rafini on 19 June, 2020. © Embassy of Italy in Niamey

SAHEL Diplomacy 18/06/2020

Macron to attend G5 Sahel summit in Nouakchott on 30 June

French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to the Mauritanian capital [...]

ALGERIA MALI Defence Politics 11/06/2020

Algiers recycles old vehicles as part of its Sahelian strategy

As Algeria goes about trying to set up a Sahelian force under the aegis of the African Union, it is recycling stocks of used equipment to gift to Mali. [...]

Spotlight

AFRICA Politics 10/06/2020

Time's up: Nigeria set to end Algeria's lock on top African Union security post

Since the position of African Union commissioner for peace and security was created in 2003, it has been held by an Algerian. But now there's near-unanimous agreement that the job, with expanded responsibilities, should go to another African powerhouse: [...]

ALGERIA Diplomacy 05/06/2020

Ambassador Driencourt set to leave his post amid diplomatic tensions

Much appreciated by Algiers during the era of former president Bouteflika, it's time for French ambassador Xavier Driencourt to move on. As he readies to leave in the next few months, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has gone on the offensive against Paris in a calculated populist move. [...]

The French ambassador in Algiers Xavier Driencourt. © DR

AFRICAN UNION Diplomacy 22/05/2020

Receive free prompts for these topics

ALGERIA
Abdelmadjid Tebboune
Abdelmalek Droukdel
African Union
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
Boualem Chebihi
Coalition for the Sahel
G5 Sahel
Groupe salafiste pour la prédication et le combat
Ibrahima Dahirou Dembélé
Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin
Mahamat Moussa Faki
Malian Armed Forces
Nouakchott Process
Operation Barkhane
Operation Serval
Said Chanegriha
Smaïl Chergui
West African Economic and Monetary Union

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Algiers strives to return to centre stage in the Sahel