Russian Duma Speaker visits Algeria to soothe relations
On July 22nd, Russia’s State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Viktorovitch Volodin commenced his official visit to Algeria with hopes of strengthening bilateral relations between the two nations, reports the Arab Weekly and agencies.
The aim of the high-profile visit represents a “pivotal step in deepening ties between Russia and Algeria”, according to the Algerian People’s National Assembly (APN), focusing on enhancing parliamentary cooperation.
The Speaker of the Russian Duma had previously worked on boosting Russian-Algerian relations. Volodin was one of the first officials to receive Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune during his visit to Russia in June last year to sign a partnership agreement between the two nations.
Volodin is arranged to meet key Algerian parliamentary leaders during his stay to discuss topics such as legislative exchanges, strengthening strategic partnerships, and exploring new areas of collaboration.
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Russian-Algerian relations were previously strained as the North African nation’s bid to enter the growing BRICS economic bloc was rejected in late August, though the visit reflects an improvement in diplomatic ties.
Instead, BRICS admitted six new countries, including Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov justified the choice to induct the new countries to BRICS in the group’s latest summit in August last year, stating that they were “like-minded” and believed in a “multi-polar world order” while seeking “more democracy and justice in international relations.”
Lavrov added that the economic bloc was necessary to “champion a bigger role for the Global South in global governance”.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s response to the rejection seemed to sweep ill feelings under the rug, though signs of discomfort were quite clear as Algiers reached out to the United States and Europe.
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Algeria has previously shown public disapproval of Moscow’s policies in the Sahel region by calling for the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries in Libya, a country in which Russia keeps a sizeable military presence, such as the private military contractor Wagner.
A particular thorn in Russian-Algerian relations is Moscow’s presence in Mali through its closer cooperation with junta rule in Bamako – a decision made that completely disregarded Algeria’s interests in the region.
Other international developments that have disrupted the pace of diplomatic efforts include Algeria’s openness to Europe’s growing demand for gas. The onset of the war in Ukraine led to a 180% price increase in gas across Europe within the first two weeks of the invasion, prompting nations to seek non-Russian sources of gas. Algeria has proved to be a viable energy alternative to the EU, leading to a deterioration of relations between Algiers and Moscow.
The Arab Weekly / Reuters and agencies
