Tebboune of Algeria will travel to Russia in May: Presidency

 

After speaking over the phone with his counterpart in Moscow, Vladimir Putin, on Tuesday, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced that he would be travelling to Russia in May.

Although Algeria has enjoyed cordial relations with Moscow for many years, the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine has made Algeria, Africa's largest gas supplier, essential for Europe's energy security.

According to a statement from the Algerian president, Tebboune and Putin talked about "bilateral relations between the two nations, especially energy cooperation."

In May, Tebboune is also scheduled to make a state visit to the erstwhile colonial powerhouse France, though it is unclear which nation he will go to first.

In recent months, Algeria has welcomed a number of prominent European officials looking for alternatives to the Russian energy supply, including French President Emmanuel Macron in August. Algeria sends gas straight to Spain and Italy via undersea pipelines.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, bilateral commerce between Algeria and Russia in 2021 was valued at $3 billion.

The North African nation has been engaged in a protracted conflict with its neighbour Morocco, especially about the Western Sahara region, and severed all ties with Rabat in 2021 as a result of what Rabat has called "hostile acts."

Russia has direct sway over the Western Sahara issue as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.