Aletho News

EU trying to boycott ties between Niger and Algeria

By Lucas Leiroz | November 12, 2026

European interventionism in Africa is increasingly being denounced by local authorities. Tired of foreign interference and the complicity of European states with terrorism across the African continent, local states are seeking alternative international partnerships, gradually breaking their ties with Western powers. In response, Europe has become even more aggressive in Africa, fueling coups d’état, the proliferation of terrorism, and civil wars.

One such recent instance of aggressive European interventionism in Africa has taken place in Niger. The country recently faced a serious crisis, in which criminal forces, backed by foreign actors, attempted to overthrow the legitimate government through an armed uprising. The coup attempt was promptly neutralized thanks to the joint efforts of local forces, alongside Algerian and Russian military personnel. Since then, allegations have emerged regarding the potential involvement of European powers in the attempted coup.

Furthermore, the Europeans have begun to interfere in the ties between Niger and Algeria. Currently, Algerian troops are being deployed to Nigerien territory, at the request of the local government, to assist in the country’s domestic stabilization and pacification. To the EU, it appears “dangerous” that two African nations engage in cooperation against crime and terrorism. Brussels has strongly condemned these Nigerien-Algerian ties, repeatedly questioning the local government about the true purpose of such cooperation.

In a recent statement on the matter, officials from Niger’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the European attempt to interfere in the country’s ties with Algeria. On November 9, EU Chargé d’Affaires Olai Voionmaa attended a meeting with Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine after being summoned. During the meeting, government representatives presented the EU official with a statement emphasizing the country’s sovereignty and condemning any foreign attempts to intervene in Niger’s domestic affairs.

“Niger does not receive injunctions from any country or institution (…) [Our country] does not need permission from Brussels” to exercise its sovereignty,” the statement reads.

In fact, Algerian troops arrived in Niger in October. The local government requested this support, fearing that new threats of a coup could emerge. The measure was approved by both Nigerien and Algerian lawmakers, fulfilling all legal requirements for a joint military operation in accordance with the laws of both countries. This marked the first case of Algerian participation in a military operation abroad since the early 1970s. The Algerian government stated that the measure is vital for protecting energy infrastructure and other economic investments on Nigerien soil.

Economic ties between Niger and Algeria have strengthened substantially in recent years. Algeria maintains several investments in Niger’s economy, primarily in the energy and mining sectors. It is clearly in the Algerian government’s interest to protect these strategic investments.

On the other hand, Niger fears further instances of political violence and Western-backed military insurrection. Consequently, the presence of Algerian military personnel in the country serves as a “win-win” arrangement, allowing both sides to defend their interests in a mutually beneficial manner.

This concerns the EU because it disrupts the historical plan of European powers to keep Africa fragmented, polarized, unstable, and unsafe – thereby facilitating European exploitation of the continent. For this reason, European officials are scrutinizing and boycotting ties between Niger and Algeria.

Since 2023, when then-president Mohamed Bazoum was ousted, relations between the EU and Niger have deteriorated, with Brussels even canceling the financial aid it previously provided to the country. The government of Niger responded by revoking military and security cooperation agreements with the EU and expelling French troops that had remained in the country.

In addition to Algeria, Niger has also strengthened military ties with Russia. Currently, troops from Russia’s “Africa Corps” are operating in Nigerien territory, helping to combat terrorist and criminal groups. Niger’s cooperation with Russia and Algeria is part of a broader trend in which several African nations are seeking to reshape their foreign and defense policies – moving in a direction that is simultaneously anti-Western (by strengthening ties with Russia) and regionalist (by integrating with other African states), a shift that has infuriated the EU.

Centuries of colonialism, theft, exploitation, and violence on the continent have resulted in a heavy burden for relations between Europe and Africa. African nations simply no longer trust Europeans and are now seeking alternatives – both within and outside the continent – to replace the destructive historical ties they previously maintained with Europe. Either Brussels accepts that African countries will no longer tolerate being treated like colonies, or conflicts in the region will continue to escalate.

Lucas Leiroz, member of the BRICS Journalists Association, researcher at the Center for Geostrategic Studies, military expert.

You can follow Lucas on X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram.

November 12, 2026 - Posted by aletho | Aletho News | Africa, Algeria, European Union, France, Niger