Algeria's escalating tensions with Mali and the Sahel: a path towards regional isolation

Algeria's foreign policy has increasingly placed it in opposition to its neighbors, leading to increased tensions and diplomatic ruptures throughout North and West Africa.

The recent destruction of a Malian drone near the border town of Tin Zaouatine illustrates this trajectory, culminating in the reciprocal closure of airspace and the withdrawal of ambassadors between Algeria and Mali. Incidents such as these highlight a broader pattern of strained relations, particularly disputes with Morocco over Western Sahara, disagreements with Niger over the expulsion of migrants, and deteriorating relations with France and Spain on regional issues. 

These developments raise crucial questions about Algeria's diplomatic approach and its impact on the stability of the Maghreb and Sahel regions. On April 7, Algeria closed its airspace to Malian planes, citing “recurring violations” of its territory. In retaliation, the Malian authorities announced that they would now close their airspace to Algerian planes. 

This escalation comes after Mali accused Algeria of shooting down a Malian drone in its airspace and supporting terrorism. On April 6, Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali issued a joint statement condemning Algeria for its alleged support for terrorism and its hostile neighborhood policy.

Relations between Mali and Algeria have deteriorated sharply in recent months. In December 2023, Mali withdrew its ambassador from Algiers, accusing Algeria of interfering in its internal affairs by engaging in dialogue with rebel leaders. 

Furthermore, during the United Nations General Assembly at the end of September 2024, Malian officials directly accused Algeria of supporting terrorist groups operating in its territory.

In response to these accusations, Algeria was deeply dismayed, describing Mali's accusations as a maneuver to divert attention from its own security problems. It also accused the Malian junta of using Algeria as a scapegoat.

Algeria has long adopted an unfriendly policy towards its neighbors, which has contributed to increased regional tensions and growing diplomatic isolation. With Niger, it has experienced multiple frictions related to the forced expulsion of thousands of irregular migrants, a practice criticized by humanitarian organizations, although it has not been officially condemned by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Relations with Morocco have been particularly tense for decades. Algeria closed its land border in 1994, unilaterally suspended its gas supplies through the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline in October 2021 and closed its airspace to Moroccan planes in September 2021 following the breakdown of diplomatic relations. Since then, Algerian state media have intensified their anti-Moroccan rhetoric, often spreading misinformation and hostility.

Algeria maintains a cautious and sometimes tense relationship with Libya, especially during the Libyan civil conflict, as both countries vie for control of border security and energy influence. Without being outright opposed, Algerian preference for certain factions has sometimes complicated its relations with Tripoli.

Relations with Spain deteriorated considerably after Madrid supported Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara in March 2022, prompting Algeria to suspend a friendship treaty, recall its ambassador and impose trade restrictions, such as freezing banking transactions and import licenses.

Relations with France are marked by cycles of cooperation and tension. In 2021, President Emmanuel Macron's statements questioning the Algerian historical narrative provoked a serious diplomatic crisis, leading to the withdrawal of Algeria's ambassador and the temporary suspension of French military overflights related to operations in the Sahel. 

More recently, tensions were reignited after Macron expressed his explicit support for Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, especially in a speech to the Moroccan Parliament, and this despite the fact that Algeria claims not to be a party to the conflict.

Through this pattern of antagonism, Algeria has managed to antagonize almost all of its neighbors, with the notable exception of Tunisia, with which it maintains relatively stable and cooperative relations, probably due to shared strategic and economic interests.

This time, the rift affects three of the five Sahel countries — Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger — which have issued a joint statement denouncing Algeria's hostile neighborhood policy and its alleged support for terrorist groups.These three states increasingly perceive Algeria as a dominant actor, using its military power, oil wealth and intelligence network to intimidate its neighbors and assert its hegemony.

In response, the three countries have recalled their ambassadors to Algiers, signaling a major diplomatic crisis. It is very likely that at least Mali will soon break off diplomatic relations with Algeria if tensions persist.

Algeria is known for maintaining channels of communication with various armed actors, whether terrorists or not, not only to feed its security strategies, but also to exert political pressure on neighbouring Sahel states. These contacts, often presented as pragmatic, are of growing concern because of their instrumentalization to incline these countries in favour of the Algerian agenda.

In response, Algeria regularly blames Morocco for its strained relations with its neighbors, a pattern illustrated in a recent article by Ignacio Cembrero, published in the Spanish media outlet El Confidencial under the title: “The Sahel triangle against Algeria: what strategy do the putschists have?”, where he appears as an ardent defender of the Algerian regime. 

As is often the case, Algeria presents itself as a victim, presenting Morocco as an almost supernatural force whose sole objective is to destabilize Algeria, both internally and externally. Alternatively, it describes its detractors as poorly governed, underdeveloped countries incapable of achieving the level of progress it claims to embody.

However, Algeria's development narrative does not stand up to either the facts or international evaluations. One need only look at the latest US National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers from 2025, which indicates that Algeria maintains a highly protectionist and closed economy.

The country is still not a member of the WTO, it applies tariffs of up to 60%, surcharges of up to 200% on more than 1000 products and imposes a multitude of non-tariff barriers, such as quotas, import bans and state monopolies. 

Customs procedures are slow, opaque and arbitrary; health regulations, often unjustified, lack transparency. Foreign investment is discouraged by sudden political changes, such as the return of the 51/49 rule. 

The level of intellectual property protection is low, and the digital sector suffers from strict regulation that hinders e-commerce. The economy is dominated by inefficient public companies, which benefit from preferential treatment that distorts competition and stifles innovation, in flagrant contradiction of Algeria's trade commitments.

On the other hand, recent reports from international organizations paint a bleak picture of the internal situation in Algeria. NGOs such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch denounce a severe crackdown on dissent, with the dissolution of civil society organizations, the suspension of opposition parties and the prosecution of journalists and activists. Freedom House classifies Algeria as “not free”, highlighting systemic restrictions on political rights and civil liberties.

On the economic front, the World Bank urges Algeria to diversify its economy beyond hydrocarbons and to clean up its business environment. Freedom of the press is also in danger, as evidenced by the imprisonment of journalist Ihsane El Kadi and the closure of independent media outlets. Taken together, these events paint a picture of a country that is increasingly isolated, authoritarian and resistant to reform.

Algeria's recent diplomatic rifts with its neighbors confirm a pattern of strained regional relations, which risks accentuating its isolation and further destabilizing North and West Africa.

The reciprocal closure of airspace with Mali, following the unmanned aircraft incident in Tin Zaouatine, illustrates this disturbing dynamic. Similar conflicts with Morocco, persistent disagreements with Tunisia and Libya, and an increasingly conflictive relationship with France underline the increasingly antagonistic orientation of Algerian foreign policy. 

These growing tensions not only hamper regional cooperation, but also compromise collective security and economic development. To reverse this trend, Algeria must reassess its diplomatic strategy, prioritize dialogue and promote good neighborly relations. By doing so, it could contribute to a more stable and prosperous regional environment, for the benefit of all.