HIBAPRESS
The Algerian Council of the Nation, the upper house of parliament, voted unanimously on Sunday morning to approve a decision allowing the deployment of units from the National People's Army to Niger. This marks the first such step since the Algerian army participated outside the country during the October 1973 war.
Local sources reported that the military units scheduled for deployment will be tasked with securing oil facilities in Niger.
The decision is based on Article 91 of the Algerian Constitution, which empowers the President of the Republic to send military units abroad, provided that the approval of both houses of parliament is obtained by a two-thirds majority of members.
The Algerian newspaper "El Khabar" linked this move to the developments in the security situation in Niger, noting that holding parliamentary sessions on the same day comes in the context of intensifying military coordination between the two countries.
The newspaper pointed out that there are official agreements between Algeria and Niger, in addition to the Algerian army carrying out a mission at the request of the Niamey authorities, and sending Algerian helicopters to Niger.
The vote comes days after a visit by the Nigerien Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Salifou Modi, to Algeria, where he was received by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. He also held a meeting with the Chief of Staff of the Algerian Army, Lieutenant General Saïd Chengriha, for the second time in a week.
During the visit, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding for military cooperation, without revealing its details.
The Algerian Ministry of Defense stated that Chengriha expressed the army's readiness to study proposals submitted by Niger to enhance military and security cooperation, while the Nigerien minister praised the level of coordination between the armies of the two countries, in the presence of military officials from both sides.
Relations between Algeria and Niamey have seen rapprochement at political, diplomatic, military, and economic levels, after a period of tension between the two countries.
In late August, the Algerian Ministry of Defense announced the dispatch of four combat aircraft to the Nigerien capital, Niamey, to support the Nigerien army in confronting what it described as an attempt to destabilize the country. This followed an attack by rebel soldiers on the airport and the presidential headquarters on August 29, threatening the rule of General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who came to power after a military coup in 2023.
