Algeria Reaches Out to Sahel Allies Amid Mali Tensions
Algeria is rebuilding diplomatic ties with Niger and Burkina Faso after tensions over a 2025 drone incident, offering CFA50 billion ($88 million) to modernize their mining and energy sectors. The move includes a 40-megawatt power plant donation to Niger, which relies on Nigeria for 70% of its electricity. Algeria's energy diplomacy centers on the Trans-Saharan gas pipeline, countering Morocco's Atlantic Initiative. Relations with Mali remain strained, with Algiers seeking a collective AES approach to thaw ties. This outreach could stabilize the Sahel, benefiting regional security and Nigeria's energy interests.