Algeria to send troops to Niger in first foreign deployment since 1973

Algeria is set to deploy troops to Niger for the first time since 1973, in response to security threats in the region. This move follows a meeting between Niger’s defence minister and his Algerian counterpart, signaling a return to closer ties between the two neighboring countries after a diplomatic rift in 2025. Algeria, which has economic interests in Niger including a planned gas pipeline project, will send troops to protect energy facilities in northern Niger.

The deployment comes as Algeria uses a 2020 constitutional provision to authorize overseas military missions, marking a significant shift in its long-standing foreign policy of non-intervention. The timing and exact number of soldiers to be deployed have not been disclosed, but Algerian senator Belkacem Boulghiti assured the public that the troops would not be engaged in combat but rather to secure economic infrastructure.

Algeria’s state-owned energy company, Sonatrach, has partnered with Niger to explore for oil in the Kafra region, where two exploration wells are estimated to contain substantial reserves. Despite past tensions, including Algeria’s condemnation of a 2023 coup in Niger and a shootout between their forces in 2025, relations have improved following a visit by Niger’s new president and Algeria’s military support during a coup attempt.