Niger Premier Credits Algeria for Sanctions Resilience

Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, explicitly praised Algeria's significant role in supporting Niger through periods of sanctions and isolation. Mr. Zeine highlighted that despite earlier predictions of collapse, Niger is now standing firm, attributing this resilience to the steadfastness of its people, the solidarity within the Confederation of Sahel States, and crucially, the accompaniment provided by Algeria. He emphasized that Niger has successfully recovered possession of its land, subsoil, and voice thanks to this support.

The Prime Minister underscored the depth of the fraternal relations between the two nations, noting that Algeria’s multi-faceted support reflects its commitment to enhancing cooperation and solidarity among African countries. This dynamic partnership involves substantial Algerian investments in the exploitation of Niger’s natural resources, consistent support for its defense system, and expanded cooperation across vital sectors such as health, education, energy, water resources, and agriculture. Such efforts are consistent with Algeria’s foreign policy, which prioritizes joint African action, solidarity, and economic integration to foster stability and development across the continent.

The cooperation extends beyond bilateral frameworks to include strategic regional projects aimed at strengthening economic and energy interconnectivity. Mr. Zeine specifically mentioned the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, linking Nigeria, Niger, and Algeria, and the Trans-Saharan Road. In the energy sector, Algeria has contributed to Niger's infrastructure by constructing a 40-megawatt power plant in Niamey and engaging in oil resource exploitation through projects like Kafra in northern Niger, including the exploratory drilling of the Kafra Southeast 1 well initiated recently.