After exploring Egypt’s role in BRICS, we now turn our attention to Algeria — one of Russia’s key allies in North Africa and a major player in the Arab world. In this interview, Yahia Zoubir, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, shares his insights on what to expect from the upcoming Russia–Middle East summit, how Algeria and Russia can strengthen cooperation in technology, and whether the prospect of Algeria joining BRICS remains on the agenda.
In which areas do you expect the most significant agreements to come out of the summit?
I think during the summit, it will be just a reiteration of that strong partnership, a strategic partnership that Algeria and Russia have. But you are right in singling out, you know, security, defense, economics. I think economics is going to become quite important areas that the two sides will emphasize. The military cooperation, of course, it has been since the Algerian war of independence, you know, in the 1950s with the Soviet Union and even after Algeria's independence, you know, where Algeria established with Russia, of course, with the Soviet Union at the time, a very important relationship in terms of purchasing of armament.
The Algerians would raise that question because Algerians have technology transfer with China, for instance, in the military field. And despite the close relationship between Algeria and Russia, they still do not have technology transfers.
So I think this question would be raised in terms of joint venture, co-production, even maintenance and so on, especially since Algeria has an industrial base that can be used by Russia, especially nowadays days with the sanctions on Russia and so on, it would be a very good opportunity to allow for this to happen.
How does Algeria view Russia’s role in combating terrorism and ensuring security in North Africa?
Algeria views the presence of Russia in the Sahel as a good counterweight to NATO or to Western countries. However, and I think this has been discussed between the two sides regarding, you know, the Wagner Group, which is now the Africa core.
I think Algerians would prefer, in my view, I'm not a government official, obviously, I'm an academic, But I think Algerians would like to see Russia work in collaboration with the African Union and that is come as a complimentary cooperation with the governments, with the local governments rather than a substitute for the neighbors or for the African Union.
I think this would be a matter on the table to be discussed by the two sides. I know for a fact, and it has been reported, and even the Algerian president Abdelmajid Taboun had talked about it, that the presence of militias is worrisome, especially since Algeria is, I mean, the security of the Sahel is an extremely important question for the Algerians and you know that there is a community in the north of Mali close to the Algerian border with the Tuareg and Algeria has, you know, Tuareg community on its own territory.
So they would like Moscow to have good control over the Africa core and not make any mistake and aggravate the situation in northern Mali close to the Algerian border.
Which steps can countries take to strengthen bilateral ties?
You know that this year alone, Algeria and Russia have negotiated nine agreements. So the Algerians, I think, have already made clear that they are very interested in green hydrogen and so on, and Russia has the capability. But always with the caveat that Algeria likes to diversify, but Russia can offer a lot because of the long-standing friendship, as I said, and partnership.
So research and education are sectors that need to be, you know, reinforced by the two sides. Agriculture is very important and food security is very important. You know that now Algeria imports more grain from Russia than from France, which used to be the traditional supplier of grain, you know, of cereals to Algeria.
I think that needs to be worked, you know, on a long-term basis, not on a temporary or occasional basis. So there are many areas, and I think if we go back to the military component, which is extremely important, because Algeria's security depends very much on Russian supplies of hardware, of military hardware.
You know that Algeria is probably, it's the third importer of weapons from Russia. And it imports about, the last report from Sipri I is about 73% of its, you know, equipment comes from Russia.
So there are different sectors in which, you know, in gas, in civilian nuclear energy, that could be also strengthened. And I think Sonatrach and Gazprom have been working in that area.
So especially nowadays with all the changes in the international order, I think Russia has a good opportunity to open up to its African and Middle Eastern colleagues to go further in developing these relationships,
This cooperation that could be very useful, especially since Russia follows or respects the non-interference component or dimension of international relations. So we see a real change. I think also Russia, in collaboration cooperation with China and others in terms of the BRICS and, you know, could also develop something more tangible with the candidates, you know, the ones that want to become parts of the BRICS.
You remember that Algeria was very optimistic about becoming a member, but did not. It did not happen. Well, whether the Algerians would want to reapply, I don't know, since the president had said that the dossier was closed, but I don't think it's closed permanently.
I think Russia could help Algeria become a member of the BRICS, especially since Algeria has undertaken some important reforms in its economy, and so on. And Russia could contribute to that, to those reforms, you know, with the know-how that Russia has, it would be a good possibility.
In which areas do you expect the most significant agreements to come out of the summit?
I think during the summit, it will be just a reiteration of that strong partnership, a strategic partnership that Algeria and Russia have. But you are right in singling out, you know, security, defense, economics. I think economics is going to become quite important areas that the two sides will emphasize. The military cooperation, of course, it has been since the Algerian war of independence, you know, in the 1950s with the Soviet Union and even after Algeria's independence, you know, where Algeria established with Russia, of course, with the Soviet Union at the time, a very important relationship in terms of purchasing of armament.
The Algerians would raise that question because Algerians have technology transfer with China, for instance, in the military field. And despite the close relationship between Algeria and Russia, they still do not have technology transfers.
So I think this question would be raised in terms of joint venture, co-production, even maintenance and so on, especially since Algeria has an industrial base that can be used by Russia, especially nowadays days with the sanctions on Russia and so on, it would be a very good opportunity to allow for this to happen.
How does Algeria view Russia’s role in combating terrorism and ensuring security in North Africa?
Algeria views the presence of Russia in the Sahel as a good counterweight to NATO or to Western countries. However, and I think this has been discussed between the two sides regarding, you know, the Wagner Group, which is now the Africa core.
I think Algerians would prefer, in my view, I'm not a government official, obviously, I'm an academic, But I think Algerians would like to see Russia work in collaboration with the African Union and that is come as a complimentary cooperation with the governments, with the local governments rather than a substitute for the neighbors or for the African Union.
I think this would be a matter on the table to be discussed by the two sides. I know for a fact, and it has been reported, and even the Algerian president Abdelmajid Taboun had talked about it, that the presence of militias is worrisome, especially since Algeria is, I mean, the security of the Sahel is an extremely important question for the Algerians and you know that there is a community in the north of Mali close to the Algerian border with the Tuareg and Algeria has, you know, Tuareg community on its own territory.
So they would like Moscow to have good control over the Africa core and not make any mistake and aggravate the situation in northern Mali close to the Algerian border.
Which steps can countries take to strengthen bilateral ties?
You know that this year alone, Algeria and Russia have negotiated nine agreements. So the Algerians, I think, have already made clear that they are very interested in green hydrogen and so on, and Russia has the capability. But always with the caveat that Algeria likes to diversify, but Russia can offer a lot because of the long-standing friendship, as I said, and partnership.
So research and education are sectors that need to be, you know, reinforced by the two sides. Agriculture is very important and food security is very important. You know that now Algeria imports more grain from Russia than from France, which used to be the traditional supplier of grain, you know, of cereals to Algeria.
I think that needs to be worked, you know, on a long-term basis, not on a temporary or occasional basis. So there are many areas, and I think if we go back to the military component, which is extremely important, because Algeria's security depends very much on Russian supplies of hardware, of military hardware.
You know that Algeria is probably, it's the third importer of weapons from Russia. And it imports about, the last report from Sipri I is about 73% of its, you know, equipment comes from Russia.
So there are different sectors in which, you know, in gas, in civilian nuclear energy, that could be also strengthened. And I think Sonatrach and Gazprom have been working in that area.
So especially nowadays with all the changes in the international order, I think Russia has a good opportunity to open up to its African and Middle Eastern colleagues to go further in developing these relationships,
This cooperation that could be very useful, especially since Russia follows or respects the non-interference component or dimension of international relations. So we see a real change. I think also Russia, in collaboration cooperation with China and others in terms of the BRICS and, you know, could also develop something more tangible with the candidates, you know, the ones that want to become parts of the BRICS.
You remember that Algeria was very optimistic about becoming a member, but did not. It did not happen. Well, whether the Algerians would want to reapply, I don't know, since the president had said that the dossier was closed, but I don't think it's closed permanently.
I think Russia could help Algeria become a member of the BRICS, especially since Algeria has undertaken some important reforms in its economy, and so on. And Russia could contribute to that, to those reforms, you know, with the know-how that Russia has, it would be a good possibility.