Algeria maximising current energy crisis

Algeria, Africa’s largest natural gas exporter, is taking advantage of the current global political climate and energy crisis. In November 2022, the country officially applied to join the BRICS group of emerging economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). Additionally, the Algerian government signed agreements with China to expand infrastructure, energy, and space exploration projects as part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Algeria has become a crucial gas supplier to Europe. As a result, the country’s profits from energy exports have risen dramatically, surpassing $50 billion last year, up from $34 billion in 2021 and $20 billion in 2020. However, this success has also made Algeria a target of demands from the United States for allies to cut economic ties with Russia, regardless of their own sovereign interests.

In response to these demands, Algeria has sought to join BRICS in order to have more autonomy in charting its own foreign policy while also protecting its economic opportunities as an energy exporter. Other Arab League members, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, have also expressed interest in joining BRICS. China has been the main exporter to Algeria since 2013, replacing France as the country’s primary trading partner. Russia, on the other hand, supplies around 80% of Algeria’s weapons, making the country Russia’s third-largest arms importer after India and China.

Both Beijing and Moscow have welcomed Algeria’s application to join BRICS, and there have been recent visits and agreements between the countries to strengthen their relationship. However, Algeria is also trying to maintain a neutral stance in world diplomacy, avoiding being drawn into criticism from the United States over Russia or the country’s own leadership. This is reflected in the country’s domestic political climate, where the military holds significant power and there has been a crackdown on dissent.