Algerian Parliament Ratifies Ground Troop Mission to Niger

The People's National Assembly of Algeria ratified a plan to deploy ground troops to Niger on Sunday. The lower house vote followed a unanimous endorsement from the Council of the Nation earlier the same day. This move marks a shift from Algeria's long-standing policy of avoiding foreign military entanglements.

Officials have not specified the number of soldiers or the start date for the deployment. The mission is designed to protect economic and strategic interests, with a primary focus on oil facilities in Niger operated by the state-owned company Sonatrach. Senator Belkacem Boulghiti told reporters after the vote, "We are not sending our soldiers to wage war in Niger, but for a mission to secure economic infrastructure."

The approval follows a preliminary military step taken in late August. At that time, Algeria sent four Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30 jets, a transport aircraft, and an aerial refueling aircraft to Niamey. Authorities described that earlier move as a response to attempts to destabilize Niger's military-led government.

Diplomatic relations between the two nations have improved in recent months. Niger's President Abdourahamane Tchiani visited Algiers in February. His defense minister, Salifou Mody, later traveled to Algeria for security talks. Ties had previously strained after Algeria condemned the 2023 coup in Niger and after the Algerian military shot down a Malian drone in April, prompting three West African states to recall their ambassadors.

Article 91 of the Algerian constitution allows the president to authorize overseas deployments with the support of at least two-thirds of members in each parliamentary chamber. This provision was included in a 2020 constitutional revision. Algeria has rarely sent forces abroad since participating in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

The deployment occurs amid high military spending and regional tension. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reports that Algeria spent more than $25 billion on its armed forces in 2025, making it the largest military spender in Africa. In September, Algeria severed ties with the United Arab Emirates, citing hostile and provocative actions.

Instability in the Sahel region poses a direct security concern for Algiers, which shares borders with Mali, Niger, and Libya. Since 2012, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have collectively experienced six military coups. France, the United States, and Russia have all adjusted their military presence in the region, with French troops withdrawing from Niger in December 2023 and U.S. soldiers departing in 2024.