The long-standing relationship between Algeria and Russia has evolved into a comprehensive strategic partnership, driven by historical ties, economic cooperation, and geopolitical alignment.
In the Russian documents, Africa has a significant position, so it pays attention to more cooperation and strengthening of diplomatic relations with it. The 2023 foreign policy concept document mentions for the expansion of relations with various regional trade blocs, member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, strengthening all-round beneficial mutual cooperation, increasing trade and investment with African governments and African integration structures. Algeria is one of Russia’s largest trading partners in the African continent.
The new era of Algerian-Russian relations was marked by the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed by Presidents Vladimir Putin and Abdelaziz Bouteflika in Moscow in 2001, and the 2006 agreement to cancel $5.7 billion in debt. In addition to the leaders’ phone call in January 2023, the June 2023 meeting between Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Vladimir Putin in Russia confirmed the deepening of relations and convergence of views, with the signing of a “Declaration of Deep Strategic Partnership.”
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, Algeria has either abstained from voting on UN resolutions related to the war or has taken a mediating stance in this regard.
In July 2023, Algeria also participated in the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg. In the past year, the visit of the Russian Deputy Defense Minister and Mikhail Bogdanov, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, to Algeria, the holding of the fourth meeting of the Joint Committee, the presence of Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf in the Russian city of Sochi to participate in the first meeting of the Conference of Ministers of Africa-Russia Partnership in November 2024, the meeting of the Foreign Ministers in Johannesburg on the sidelines of the G20 Ministerial Meeting, and the visit of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev to Algeria are signs of the continuation of multidimensional political and strategic dialogues and meetings between the two countries.
Algerian officials regularly praise the relations between the two countries, and the two countries have convergence of views on various files such as the issue of Western Sahara and the issue of Palestine. Algeria’s broad view of the Russia-Africa partnership comes at a time when Algeria has not gone beyond the framework of “strategic dialogue” in its relations, and Russia’s presence on the African continent is consistent with Algeria’s approach to opposing Western military presence in Africa.
Due to Algeria’s turbulent relations with its regional neighbors, whether with the south, Morocco or Libya, broadening the circle of alliances and diversifying relations is important. But in the eyes of many, Algeria’s formal accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the BRICS group could strengthen its strategic partnership with Russia.
Algeria remains concerned about Islamist, separatist and terrorist groups exploiting the instability around Algeria’s southern borders, especially the border with Mali, which is more than a thousand kilometers long. Meanwhile, although Russia, in November 2024, indicated its “full support” for Africa, including the fight against terrorism and extremism. But Algiers seems to want more help from Moscow to increase its influence in the Sahel region and reduce security risks from that region.
While the Algerian military’s dependence on Russian military industries is more than 80 percent, Algeria is consistently one of the top five destinations for Russian weapons in the world. In addition to the meetings of the military officials of the two countries on ways to strengthen military and technical cooperation between them in the past two years, Algeria will be the first foreign country to receive the Russian Su-57 fighter jet. This approach will increase Algeria’s national power and regional weight against Morocco. On the economic section, Algeria, apart from looking positively at “the adoption of an ambitious roadmap for bilateral cooperation, and taking advantage of economic complementarities between the two countries,” is asking Russia to invest more in Algeria.
Algeria has focused one of its strategic choices on energy power. Therefore, coordination between the two countries within the framework of the “Gas Exporting Countries Forum” would be a win-win strategy.
While Algeria plans to achieve a GDP of $400 billion by 2027 and does not want to lag behind Morocco’s economic plans in the region, so, Russian companies remain an important contributor.
With Algeria’s growing demand for Russian agricultural products, trade turnover between Russia and Algeria exceeded $1.7 billion in 2024. Also, at the 12th meeting of the Russian-Algerian Intergovernmental Commission in January 2025, the expansion of trade, especially in halal products, nuclear and renewable energy, oil and gas, and the potential role of Algeria as a logistics hub for Russian exports to Africa were discussed.
Challenges and prospects
The refusal to accept Algeria’s application to join BRICS has caused Algerians to despair. But despite positive hopes for joining the BRICS group and Russia’s support for Algeria’s membership, this could help strengthen relations. Algeria borders the Mediterranean Sea with an area of more than 2 million square kilometers, with Tunisia, Morocco-Western Sahara, Mauritania, and Mali.
Algeria presents itself as a regional power in North Africa and does not want its role and influence in the Sahel region to be reduced. Given the previous uncoordinated approach of Algeria and Moscow in relations with Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Libya, Algiers wants Russia’s approach to the Sahel and the Sahara, expanding military and security cooperation agreements, to help Algeria’s role in the Sahel region.
The new Russian ambassador to Algeria in February 2025 considered Algeria a “friendly country” of Russia. Despite the importance of Algeria for Moscow, the recent 12th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technical Cooperation between Algeria and Russia in Algiers and the signing of 9 agreements, the continuation of consultations, bilateral cooperation and mutual visits, it seems that Algerian-Russian relations will develop.
Although from the point of view of some, Algiers has the right to diversify its relations, due to the emergence of new variables in geostrategic orientations and priorities, there is a greater need for coordination and consultation between the two countries.
What is clear is that despite the new dynamics in political dialogue and Algeria’s desire to strengthen regional security and influence, the formula of overcoming some differences, agreeing on a new roadmap, high-level political dialogue, and strengthening trust will continue to highlight the positive prospects for the future of relations and deep strategic partnership between the two countries.
Samyar Rostami is a political observer and senior researcher in international relations