Algeria wants to reconnect with Niger after it joined Morocco’s royal initiative on Sahel

Algeria wants to reconcile with Sahel countries. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, received yesterday in Algiers his Nigerien counterpart, Bakary Yaou Sangaré.

«The two ministers evaluated cooperative relations between the two countries in different areas, notably the trans-Saharan road, including its role in the development in the Sahel», indicates the Algerian Foreign Ministry in a press release.

Attaf and Sangaré «reviewed the developments of the situation in the region, particularly the crisis in Niger, especially as the Nigerien minister praised the role of Algeria in supporting his country to emerge from the current crisis», the same source added.

The talks took place only three days after the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Niger in the meeting, held on Saturday December 23 in Marrakech, to examine King Mohammed VI’s Initiative to Enhance Atlantic Ocean Access for Sahel Countries, launched on November. Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad joined the royal initiative during said meeting.

Relations between Algiers and Niamey are cold, particularly after the July 26 coup. The deposed president Mohamed Bazoum was considered close to the Algerian regime. Since then, the differences between the two countries have come to light.

In October, the new authorities in Niger made it clear that they did not accept the six-month transition proposed by Algeria. «The government of the Republic of Niger rejects the said conclusions while reiterating its desire to preserve the ties of friendship and fraternity with Algeria», Niamey clarified in a press release.