Algeria sent a clear and unequivocal message to its Sahel neighbors and the international community amid growing tensions and geopolitical rivalries in this unstable region.
The statement was made on Monday in Algiers during a high-level seminar on security challenges in the Sahel, organized by the Information Directorate of the People’s National Army (ANP).
Among the prominent attendees were Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf and the Chief of Staff of the ANP, Army General Saïd Chanegriha, who also serves as Deputy Minister of National Defense. Their remarks laid out the foundation of Algeria’s assertive and coherent security and diplomatic doctrine.
A patient, firm and solidarity-driven diplomacy
In his address, Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf emphasized Algeria’s “endless capital of patience” in handling the complex dynamics of the Sahel. Reaffirming a policy of outreach and cooperation, he stressed Algeria’s commitment to long-lasting stability through regional collaboration and respect for national sovereignty.
“Algeria constantly extends a hand to its brotherly neighbors,” he said, underlining the country’s will to build peace grounded in stability, prosperity, and shared security across the Saharo-Sahelian region.
A red line against foreign interference
For his part, Army General Saïd Chanegriha reiterated the unshakable principles of Algeria’s foreign policy: mutual respect, good neighborliness, rejection of interference in internal affairs, and the defense of national sovereignty.
With a firm tone, he warned that Algeria would not tolerate any attempt by external powers to turn the Sahel into a theater for strategic confrontation. He also reaffirmed Algeria’s active engagement in the Joint Operational Staff Committee (CEMOC) for a cooperative and autonomous approach to regional security threats.
“Algeria will remain a key player in consolidating peace in the Sahel,” Chanegriha stated, emphasizing that this pivotal role stems from a clear strategy driven by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the supreme commander of the armed forces.
The general also highlighted Algeria’s continued efforts to strengthen the defense capabilities of its regional partners while contributing to their economic and social development—two pillars he described as inseparable from lasting security.
Salma Haddadi, Vice-President of the African Commission, also spoke at the seminar, offering broader context on the security, social, and economic issues facing the Sahel. She called for enhanced African synergy and solutions rooted in local realities.
In sum, the seminar provided Algeria with a platform to clearly reaffirm its strategic stance, its deep commitment to regional peace, and its firm opposition to any destabilization of the Sahel by foreign forces.