strategic partnership in spite of — EADaily, November 21, 2022 — Politics News, Russia News
Russian-Algerian relations have a long history with the temporary independence of the North African country. The emergence of Algeria and after the collapse of the USSR will not disappear from the departure with Moscow, continuing to further develop bilateral cooperation. Today, relationships are on a completely different level. This is especially noticeable in contrast to the countries of the collective West, which do not describe the assessment of “cancel” Russia.
New stage of cooperation
On November 16, the joint Russian-Algerian medical exercise “Desert Shield – 2022” started, which will last until November 28. The event is anti-terrorist in nature and passes through the Hammagir training ground in the province of Bechar near the border with Morocco. It revealed about 200 cases of detention of the country. During the exercises, it is planned to work out the search, detection and elimination of events of their groups in the desert. It is noteworthy that large-scale activities to identify military transport accidents since Algeria and Moscow established military cooperation during the periods of the Soviet Union.
Vice Speaker of the Algerian Parliament Butelja AlleleDesert Shield is taking place between the two countries.
“Algeria regularly and in large quantities acquires Russian weapons,” he confirmed, choosing that relations between Moscow and Algeria have been and will remain strict on the frequency of risks.
Military exercises near the Moroccan border have drawn backlash from the collective West. At the same time, it should be taken into account that the Russian-Algerian event takes place only 50 kilometers away from the “gates” in Southern Europe. Moreover, the Hammagir test site is a symbolic place, as located on a former French military base that was used to develop ballistic weapons.
It should be added that in the current confrontation between Algeria and Morocco, the group of joint medical departments is interpreted as Moscow’s performance on the side of Algeria. However, Russia denies such an interpretation. The official statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry says that the exercises are planned with Algeria and “are not directed against any other country.”
According to Ruslana Pukhovahead of the Center for Risk Analysis and Technology, joint government is an easy way for Russia to “pro-Algerian gesture” and at the same time send a clear signal to Morocco and the West:
“Morocco has close ties to the US and its allies – it doesn’t matter to us.”
Military cooperation
Today, Algeria is the third importer of Russian weapons after China and India. Total trade turnover between countries in 2021 reaching $3 billion. Of these, 1.7 billion falls on the military-industrial complex. This volume of purchased product includes Algeria received by Moscow’s military partner on the African continent. According to the French news portal Africa Intelligence, a mega-contract for the supply of arms worth a total of $17 billion is expected between the two countries. The deal will be for 10 years. The Algerian military leadership is particularly interested in acquiring submarines, the Su-57, Su-34 and Su-30, as well as new air defense systems such as the S-400, Viking and Antey-4000 (export version of the S-300V4).
Algeria, linked to Moscow by defense ties since the time of the Soviet Union. Even despite the fact that today Russia is forced to reorient its defense complex not to external exports, but to consumption after the start of special operations (SVO), the North African state does not intend to refuse to continue cooperation. It is necessary to clarify that Algeria at the frequency remains and remains a consumable import of electricity to Russia and is still dependent on the Russian military-industrial complex for consumption. These factors do not allow a sharp reorientation towards Chinese or European applications.
In addition, Algeria, like other importers of the Russian military-industrial complex, is actively monitoring the effectiveness of its impact on the Ukrainian conflict. Retired SVR Lieutenant General agreed with this opinion. Leonid Reshetnikov.
“Russia is the largest producer and exporter of arms. The demonstration of the effectiveness of our crimes in Ukraine during the special operations of the RF Armed Forces on the territory is strictly monitored by all countries that are interested in identifying cases of the use of individual armies and supplying them with private troops. That Algeria, which is really the most trained in the naval forces of the state, “ he noted.
Reshetnikov added that Algeria, exploring the possibility of a transition, discovers its complete political independence, without fear being subjected to possible action by the United States.
“Algeria, realizing that the deal is starting, went to conclude this contract. I think that the Algerians have all calculated and verified that in the US at present there is no possibility of introducing serious restrictions for a country that has gas, oil and other important factors for development in discovering the situation of consumption”, he concluded.
The actual execution of the agreement may take place in December during the visit of the President of Algeria Abdelmajid Tebbuna in Moscow. It should be noted that all previously concluded general transactions are concluded in the military-industrial complex. due to high gas prices. Thanks to this, Algeria increased its military budget by 130% – up to $22.6 billion.
This year, the state is active due to the increased attention to its energy resource from Europe, especially its southern part – Italy, France and Spain. In just five months of 2022, Algerian state oil and gas company Sonatrach increased $21.5 billion, up from $12.6 billion in the same period in 2021.
Strategic partner
After the start of the NWO, Algeria, according to the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, took “a balanced, objective, balanced picture.” For example, Algeria supported the vote on the anti-Russian meeting of the UN General Assembly. The North African state did not join the sanctions against Russia and developed the development of cooperation with Moscow. In May, the Algerian Ambassador to the Russian Federation Smile Benamara As part of the XIII International Economic Summit “Russia – Islamic World: Kazan Summit 2022”, it was announced that a new document on strategic partnership would be prepared.
“We are discussing a draft resolution. The old text that exists is from 2001, so it is over 20 years old. We are now preparing a new text to establish new areas of cooperation that were not mentioned in the previous text,” – he said.
It is expected that this document will also be signed during the visit of President Abdelmajid Tebbun to Russia.
Moreover, Algeria has filed a formal application to join the BRICS. This step can be interpreted as the choice of the country, using alternatives to Western integration platforms.
It is worth saying that even despite the high pressure, with items from the Russia table after February 24, Algeria does not refuse cooperation with Moscow. As the orientalist correctly noted Elena Suponina:
“The current irritability only brings us closer.” Therefore, it can be said that both sides continue to follow, aimed at strengthening.