In brief
Algeria has confirmed plans to deploy troops to Niger, a historic first since 1973, to safeguard vital energy infrastructure in the Sahel. The decision follows a high‑level visit from Niger’s defence minister and reflects growing security concerns over armed groups linked to al‑Qaeda and ISIS. Parliamentary approval was secured by a 148‑to‑26 vote in the Senate and a subsequent lower house endorsement. While not intended for combat, the mission underscores Algeria’s commitment to regional stability and marks a significant shift from its long‑standing non‑intervention policy.
Algeria is poised to deploy troops to Niger, its first foreign military deployment in over five decades since the 1973 expedition to Egypt during the Arab‑Israeli war. Algeria is to send troops to Niger in its first foreign deployment since sending forces to Egypt during the Arab-Israeli war in 1973.
The move follows a visit by Niger’s defence minister to Algiers and a growing need to counter armed groups across the Sahel that, in some cases, have links to al‑Qaeda and ISIS. The deployment comes as the two neighbours rebuild ties after a diplomatic rift in 2025, when Niger recalled its ambassador to Algiers.
Economic interests drive the partnership: a planned gas pipeline will carry Nigerian gas through Niger to Algeria and Sonatrach has signed an oil‑exploration agreement in the Kafra region. The troops are expected to protect energy facilities in northern Niger, near the Libyan border.
Algeria’s parliament voted overwhelmingly to authorise the deployment – 148 of 174 senators – and the lower house subsequently signed off. The move would mark the first use of a 2020 constitutional provision allowing overseas military deployments and a significant shift in Algeria's long‑standing policy against sending forces abroad.
While the soldiers are not to wage war in Niger, Algerian officials frame the mission as a security measure to protect critical infrastructure. "We are not sending our soldiers to wage war in Niger, but for a mission to secure economic infrastructure," Senator Belkacem Boulghiti told reporters after the vote.
The deployment underscores Algeria’s commitment to regional stability and signals a deepening of ties after the 2025 diplomatic rift. The exact number of soldiers and timing remain undisclosed, but the mission reflects the importance of energy security and collective security in the Sahel.
