Algeria seeks to rebuild Sahel influence through Mali reset

ALGIERS/NIAMEY – Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb will travel to Bamako on Monday at the invitation of his Malian counterpart Abdoulaye Maiga, in a move aimed at consolidating a reconciliation between the two neighbours after a period of tension and opening a new chapter in bilateral ties.

Ghrieb’s visit follows Maiga’s trip to Algiers on August 24, which marked an early sign of renewed direct contact between the two countries and a gradual shift from strained relations towards political dialogue and the search for areas of common interest.

The Algerian prime minister will carry a message from President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to Mali’s military ruler, General Assimi Goïta, giving the visit added political weight.

The two sides are also expected to hold bilateral working sessions on regional security, cooperation and shared interests, as Algiers and Bamako seek to rebuild channels of communication after diplomatic tensions.

The rapprochement with Mali comes as Algeria reassesses its broader approach to the Sahel, where its influence has faced growing challenges from emerging regional powers and shifting alliances in Bamako, Niamey and elsewhere across the region.

Algerian diplomacy is increasingly turning towards a more pragmatic approach centred on shared interests, while seeking to diversify the tools through which it maintains influence in the Sahel.

That approach extends beyond traditional political and security files to trade, energy, infrastructure, investment and other forms of economic cooperation, which Algiers sees as potential mechanisms for rebuilding relationships and creating mutual interests that would make a return to confrontation more costly.

Mali and Niger have emerged as two key arenas for Algeria’s regional repositioning. While seeking to restore communication with Bamako, Algiers is also trying to contain the consequences of strained ties with Niamey through an approach that places greater emphasis on practical cooperation and economic projects rather than relying solely on traditional political engagement.

The shift comes against the backdrop of growing Moroccan involvement in Africa, including in West Africa and the Sahel, through investment, infrastructure, energy, fertiliser, commercial and financial projects.

Algeria is increasingly looking to use its economy as a new lever for its African presence, rather than treating economic engagement merely as an adjunct to diplomacy.

Stronger economic cooperation with Mali could give Algeria an important gateway into the Malian market and the wider Sahel region, while creating opportunities for Algerian companies in energy, transport, infrastructure, trade, services and local development.

Bamako, in turn, could benefit from Algerian expertise and capacity, particularly in sectors needed to develop its economy and connect its inland regions with regional trade routes and markets.

The economic track also has a security dimension. The Sahel continues to face overlapping threats from armed groups, organised crime, smuggling and irregular migration, challenges that are difficult for individual states to tackle alone.

That makes border coordination, intelligence sharing and dialogue between security and military institutions an important practical component of the renewed relationship.

Algiers, however, appears intent this time on striking a more balanced equation in which security issues do not become a permanent source of political confrontation. Instead, it is seeking to keep channels of dialogue open so that disagreements can be handled through diplomatic institutions rather than escalating through public disputes.

The resumption of diplomatic representation and the reopening of airspace are also viewed as practical steps towards rebuilding ties. They can restore the movement of officials and businesspeople, facilitate commercial contacts and allow state institutions to follow up directly on agreements and projects.

Ghrieb’s visit will therefore test not only whether Algeria and Mali can move beyond their period of tension, but also whether Algiers can establish a new model for its presence in the Sahel, combining diplomacy with economic interests and security cooperation.

The immediate challenge for Algeria will be to turn the current political détente into a durable web of mutual interests capable of preventing relations from slipping back into confrontation at the first serious disagreement.

The outcome will also have implications for Algeria’s ability to recover part of its influence in the Sahel at a time when the region has become an increasingly contested arena for regional and international powers.

Against that backdrop, the economic gateway is becoming particularly important for Algeria, not only because it provides a practical foundation for rebuilding relations with Mali and Niger, but also because it offers a way to adapt to wider changes across Africa, where influence is increasingly measured by the scale of investments, infrastructure projects and economic partnerships alongside traditional political and security ties.