Tebboune travels to Russia to boost strategic cooperation
Strengthening the strategic partnership and addressing BRICS membership. These are the main items on the agenda of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune during his 3-day official trip to Russia, the first by an Algerian leader since 2008.
Moscow is a key ally for Algiers, as well as its main arms supplier. The war in Ukraine has not altered historical relations between the two countries. Indeed, Algeria has been one of the nations that has not gone so far as to condemn the Russian invasion and has continued to maintain contact with the Kremlin, despite Western pressure. Similarly, a few months after the outbreak of the war, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov travelled to Algeria to reaffirm relations.
During his visit to Russia, where he is expected to take part in the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Tebboune will consolidate with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, "the solidity of the traditional and historical ties between the two countries", as Abdel Salam Bashagha, a member of the Algeria-Russia Friendship Committee in the Algerian parliament, told Al-Sharq.
To this end, the two presidents will sign an agreement to strengthen the strategic partnership in sectors such as the economy, trade, defence and culture. Algeria and Russia already initialled a similar document in 2001 - the first of its kind between Russia and an Arab and African country - in which they pledged to boost cooperation in energy and cybersecurity, among many other areas.
The Algeria-Russia Friendship Committee has also expressed hope that the visit will boost Algeria's bid to join the BRICS, as Russia is a key member of the group. Last November, Tebboune officially submitted its application to join the association, which also includes emerging economies such as Brazil, India, China and South Africa.
Both Moscow and Beijing have publicly expressed their support for Algiers. On the other hand, according to Tebboune, South Africa and Brazil have also "shown their support". BRICS membership is a priority for Algeria, as it would provide opportunities for its ailing economy. It would also forge new international alliances amid its regional isolation.
Bashagha has also made reference to Algeria's position on the war in Ukraine amid Tebboune's visit to Russia. The head of the Algerian-Russian Friendship Committee said that Algeria has maintained a 'balanced' position since the beginning of the conflict, despite not having supported any UN vote condemning the war.
Algeria maintains its alliance with Russia while distancing itself from its Western and Arab partners
Thus, while Tebboune is strengthening its alliance with Russia, Algeria is also increasingly distancing itself from Western partners such as France. The Algerian leader was scheduled to travel to Paris in May to try to resolve the current diplomatic crisis between the two countries, but the visit was postponed. Moreover, the strong military ties between Algeria and Russia, especially in the current context of war, have led many US politicians to call for sanctions against Algiers on the basis of the CAATSA Act.
At the regional level, Algeria also has disputes with Morocco and Spain. This isolation was particularly evident at the September Arab League summit in Algiers, which was not attended by key Arab leaders such as Morocco's King Mohammed VI and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. In addition to these important absences, other countries such as Egypt proposed postponing the meeting due to political disagreements.
