Algeria, Mali test a new path out of diplomatic chill

ALGIERS – Algeria and Mali have pledged to deepen cooperation and work towards making the Sahel an “oasis of peace” free of terrorism, signalling a push by the two neighbours to move beyond a prolonged diplomatic crisis and rebuild political ties.

Malian Prime Minister Abdallah Maiga made the remarks after talks with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Monday during a one-day visit to Algiers.

Maiga said the two countries shared a conviction that the Sahel should become an “oasis of peace, free from all forms of neocolonialism and all forms of domination and terrorism”, describing such an environment as essential for development based on dignity and the interests of their peoples.

The statement reflects an effort by Algiers and Bamako to frame their rapprochement around common security and development concerns while placing sovereignty and non-interference at the centre of their renewed relationship.

Maiga said Algeria and Mali faced challenges that were “multiple in form and dimension”, but shared a history and geography that could provide a basis for moving towards modernisation and progress.

He praised his talks with Tebboune, saying the Algerian president had offered “wise advice”, and carried a message from Mali’s transitional president, General Assimi Goita, thanking Tebboune for inviting him to visit Algeria.

Goita had accepted the invitation, Maiga said, describing it as an expression of friendship and appreciation for Algeria and its people. A date for the visit will be arranged through diplomatic channels.

Maiga said the two countries were bound by geography and therefore had to “move and work together” to deliver prosperity for their peoples. Mali, he added, would “spare no effort” to translate their shared vision into reality.

He also highlighted Tebboune’s position on non-interference in Mali’s internal affairs, saying respect for sovereignty and non-interference were fundamental principles underpinning the two countries’ common approach.

The vision, Maiga said, extended beyond bilateral relations to include Niger and Burkina Faso through the Alliance of Sahel States, reflecting the increasingly interconnected security, political and development challenges facing the region.

The visit comes as Algeria and Mali seek to consolidate a thaw after a diplomatic crisis that lasted more than a year and at one point led both countries to withdraw their ambassadors.

Relations deteriorated further after Algeria closed its airspace to Mali and tensions escalated following the destruction by the Algerian military of a Malian drone near Tinzaouatine in March 2025.

The two countries began a gradual de-escalation in July, reopening their airspace and restoring their ambassadors to their posts.

Since then, both sides have repeatedly expressed a “common desire to strengthen avenues of cooperation and partnership, and promote them towards broader prospects”.

Maiga’s visit represents the most visible political expression yet of that thaw.

For Algeria, the rapprochement carries particular security importance. The two countries share a long border across a region where armed groups, trafficking and irregular migration remain persistent threats. Instability in northern Mali has the potential to spill directly into Algeria’s southern border areas.

For Mali, closer engagement with Algeria offers access to a powerful neighbouring state with long-standing regional experience, even as Bamako continues to pursue an increasingly independent security and foreign-policy course alongside Niger and Burkina Faso.

The emphasis on sovereignty is particularly significant given the tensions that have surrounded Algeria’s previous attempts to mediate in Mali.

The 2015 Algiers peace and reconciliation agreement had been a cornerstone of Algeria’s regional diplomacy, but the process eventually collapsed amid growing military tensions and disagreements over the political and security future of northern Mali.

The current approach appears less ambitious in its immediate objectives, focusing instead on restoring direct communication, rebuilding confidence and establishing areas of practical cooperation.

The broader regional context is also changing. France’s influence has receded, Russia has strengthened its presence and Morocco has expanded its engagement with the Sahel through its Atlantic initiative. Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have meanwhile sought to coordinate their policies through the Alliance of Sahel States.

Against that backdrop, Algeria is attempting to maintain its regional weight through diplomacy and proximity rather than direct military involvement.

The latest thaw does not resolve the fundamental differences between Algiers and Bamako. But the return of ambassadors, renewed political contacts and the prospect of a visit by Goita suggest that both governments see greater value in engagement than in continued confrontation.

For now, the language of the rapprochement is centred on sovereignty, non-interference, security and development.

Whether those principles can translate into sustained cooperation will depend on the ability of the two sides to prevent their remaining disagreements from again overwhelming the relationship.

The immediate objective may therefore be less a grand reconciliation than the restoration of a working relationship capable of managing differences between two neighbours whose security interests remain deeply intertwined.