Algeria and Russia’s relationship – a balancing act or a real union?

For Russia, the Maghreb region presents many business opportunities that are not strictly limited to the energy and arms sectors but now include goods and services. However, out of all the Maghreb countries, it is the relationship between Russia and Algeria that resonates the most; Algeria, and to a lesser extent Libya, are the main pillars of the Russian strategy in the region. 

With its Algerian partner, Moscow is pursuing an economic drive that ranges from agriculture, education, space technology to the civilian nuclear industry. What’s significant, according to a working visit of Russia’s Chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, to Algiers in July 2024, is that the turnover of Russian-Algerian bilateral trade has increased 2.2 times reaching $3.765 billion at the end of 2023. Volodin said that “it is a significant increase in our foreign economic relations. Considering the agreement signed last year by our heads of states — the presidents of Russia and Algeria — on a deepened strategic partnership,” he pointed out during discussions with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. That’s right as President Putin hosted Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune last year pledging to deepen their two countries relationship as the Kremlin seeks to pivot Russia towards Asia and Africa.

What does that deepened strategic partnership look like?  In recent years, Russia and Algeria have maintained a strong political relationship. They often align on various international issues and support each other in international forum. There is also the historical links; during the Cold War, Algeria was a key ally of the Soviet Union in Africa. The Soviet Union supported Algeria's independence movement against French colonial rule and later provided economic assistance. However, according to analysts it is the military cooperation that has been the lynchpin of the Algeria-Russia relationship, with Algeria relying heavily on Russian military equipment and expertise. This interaction has provided Algeria with access to training and high-level weaponry, bolstering its defense capabilities. There are also joint military exercises between the two countries and the exchange of intelligence that have further strengthened the military ties. Most significantly, however, between 2018 and 2022, Algeria purchased 73% of its military equipment from Russia.  According to ISPI, “from 2016 to 2020, Algeria’s $4.2 billion arms purchases represented 14.9% of Russia’s arms sales. Making Algeria Russia’s third-largest arms customer after India and China.”  

So where does this relationship go next? Algeria and Russia’s cooperation will likely not only strengthen on the bilateral level but also in multilateral settings, such as the UN Security Council, on which Algeria is serving its 2-year term as a non-veto-wielding member. They will also continue to cooperate within the OPEC+ grouping of energy exporters. The convergence of views on the Palestinian question, which occupies significant importance in Algeria’s foreign policy, will also help strengthen the already established Algerian-Russian ties. Where the countries diverge is on Ukraine and the deployment of Russia’s Wagner group and its presence in the Sahel more generally, plus Algeria’s tradition of nonalignment; all points of contention between Algiers and Moscow. Despite this though, it looks increasingly likely Algeria Russian relations will continue to solidify. 

*Kieran Baker is an Emmy award winning journalist who has started up various networks including Al Jazeera English, Bloomberg TV Africa and TRT World.