The operation begins on Tuesday, November 15 and is called “Desert Shield”. Nearly 200 soldiers, half Algerian, half Russian, will participate in the region of Bechar, in western Algeria, near Morocco. The maneuvers should last several days. A land operation of this nature is a first on Algerian soil. It is indicative of the acceleration of military cooperation between the two countries. They have already organized joint naval maneuvers. For example, in October 2022 off the port of Algiers. In the other direction, Algeria, a few weeks ago, had participated in the great Russian maneuvers Vostok, in eastern Russia.
Cooperation is even stronger on the industrial level. Algeria, which increased its defense budget by 130% in 2021, is becoming the world’s largest importer of Russian weapons, even ahead of the Indian and Chinese giants. According to the Algerian press, a huge contract is in preparation, for an amount of more than 11 billion. With the potential purchase by Algeria of the new fifth-generation Russian Soukhoi Su75 fighters. If this contract is confirmed, it will be a major financial windfall for Moscow in the midst of the war in Ukraine.
There are many reasons for this alliance, start with two explanations related to current events in the region. First, the very strong tension between Algeria and its neighbor Morocco. The two countries are at loggerheads, particularly on the question of Western Sahara, this desert territory of 600,000 inhabitants, whose status has not been settled for nearly 50 years. Morocco considers that this area belongs to it. It has been supported by the United States, since the Trump presidency. Conversely, Algeria supports the Polisario Front which claims the independence of Western Sahara. Organizing military maneuvers 50 km from the Moroccan border, as Algeria is going to do with Russia, is therefore sending a message to Morocco.
Then, Algiers seems determined to reinvest militarily on its southern border, in the Sahel zone. So says a senior French diplomat. And France is interested in the case: it is a question of fighting the terrorist groups of the Islamic State in the Grand Sahara in the north of Mali, especially after the end of the French operation Barkhane. Russia shares this desire to take up arms against Islamist groups. So the interests converge.
This alliance is also very old between Moscow and Algiers. It dates back to the Soviet Union. The two countries share a fairly close vision of the world. And Moscow knows how to make gestures. For example, fifteen years ago, Russia erased almost five billion in Algeria’s debts. Algiers is also counting on the support of Moscow for one of its main diplomatic objectives: to join the “Brics” club, this association of several countries which brings together, in addition to Russia, India, China, Brazil and Africa. from South. President Tebboune is expected to make an official visit to Russia before the end of the year. Finally, Algeria’s oil and gas reserves put it in a position of strength in the midst of the energy crisis following the war in Ukraine. The country is courted in particular by Europeans: Algiers therefore feels in a position of strength.