Algeria is preparing to deploy it first troops in 50years to Niger, marking a major shift military policy.
The Approval Of The Military Troop
On Sunday, October 25th, 2026, both the chambers of parliament approved the deployment to protect energy facilities, pointing to a new phase in security operations between neighbouring countries.
The last military well known deployment was in 1973, when it sent the support to Egypt during the Arab-Isreal war
The decision comes as Algeria and Niger work to rebuild strained relations and strengthen security ties, following a thwarted mutiny in Niger in August.
Algeria’s upper house approved the proposal unanimously, with all 148 members present voting in favour, according to a legislator who spoke to AFP.
The lower house also approved the deployment by an absolute majority. The move comes amid persistent attacks by armed groups in Niger, including areas near the two countries’ 960-kilometre desert border.
Both governments have pledged deeper cooperation against jihadist violence, cross-border crime and trafficking.
Sahel Strategic Interest
But the deployment is about more than security; it also concerns energy and strategic influence.
International relations researcher Abdellah Akir told AFP that Algeria is seeking to protect its strategic interests in the Sahel and secure the future of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline.
The project, involving Nigeria, Niger and Algeria, is designed to transport Nigerian natural gas through Niger to Algeria for export to Europe.
By authorising troops to operate beyond its borders, Algeria is departing from its longstanding doctrine of non-intervention.
The decision places regional security and the protection of critical energy infrastructure at the centre of its expanding engagement in the Sahel.
