Niger’s president arrives in Algeria amid signs of easing tensions

By Hassen Djebril

ALGIERS, Algeria (AA) - Niger’s President Gen. Abdourahamane Tiani arrived in Algeria on Sunday for an official working visit, holding talks with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, in a move seen as signaling an end to more than 10 months of diplomatic tension between the two countries.

Algeria’s presidency said in a brief statement on the US social media company Facebook that Tebboune received Tiani, who is leading a high-level delegation, without providing further details.

State television reported that Tebboune welcomed his Nigerien counterpart at Houari Boumediene International Airport in Algiers, describing the visit as reflecting the “depth of historical relations” between the two nations.

Footage on state TV showed an official welcoming ceremony, including the playing of both countries’ national anthems and an honor guard.

Senior Algerian officials attended the reception ceremony, including Senate Speaker Azzouz Nasri, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Said Chanegriha, Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf, and Energy and Mines Minister Mohamed Arkab, according to state television.

Tebboune and Tiani later held bilateral talks in the airport’s VIP lounge with members of both delegations present. No immediate details were released on the substance of the discussions or the length of the visit.

Local media and analysts said the official welcoming and high-level talks indicate a definitive closing of the rift that strained relations for over 10 months.

On Thursday, Algeria announced the immediate return of Ahmed Saadi, its ambassador to Niger, after a reciprocal downgrade of diplomatic ties since last April. The move followed the resumption of duties by Niger’s ambassador to Algeria, Aminou Malam Manzo, also on Thursday.

-Mending fences

The diplomatic rift began last April, when Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, members of the Alliance of Sahel States, recalled their ambassadors from Algeria after Mali accused Algiers of shooting down one of its drones.

Algeria said at the time that the aircraft had violated its airspace on an offensive trajectory, marking the third such breach.

Algeria responded by recalling its ambassadors from the three countries under the principle of reciprocity. It later said Niger’s decision stemmed from solidarity within the Sahel alliance rather than a bilateral dispute.

Ties began to thaw late last year. In November, the Nigerian president sent Tebboune a message marking Algeria’s Revolution Day. In January, Algerian Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab visited Niger to review joint oil projects, the first senior-level Algerian visit since the diplomatic downgrade.

Algeria and Niger share nearly 950 kilometers (590 miles) of border and cooperate on major regional projects, including the Trans-Saharan Highway and a proposed gas pipeline that would transport Nigerian natural gas to Europe through Niger and Algeria. It is a huge project that could allow the transport of 30 billion cubic meters annually.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul