Algeria seeks NATO co-operation to secure energy facilities
Algerian Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab said Algeria was determined to co-operate with NATO to secure energy facilities, according to the Arab Weekly and agencies on November 6th.
Observers told the Arab Weekly that the comments suggest Algeria’s apprehension over the dangers threatening its strategic interests, which calls for security measures to ensure the flow of its energy exports into Europe.
Resorting to NATO demonstrates that Algeria has accepted a new reality following a period of attempting to form closer ties with Russia and China, which lead to a number of crises with countries like Spain and strained ties with Europe. Algeria last month ended its bid to join BRICS, as was reported by Middle East Monitor.
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Arkab stressed the importance of security at energy facilities in Algeria in a parliamentary meeting between Algerian deputies and others from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Je revealed the establishment of security and control measures within the framework of a comprehensive plan to secure and protect energy infrastructure in co-ordination between security forces and army units.
He recalled the “fruitful cooperation between Algeria and NATO, especially with regard to the security at facilities, cybersecurity, transfer of advanced technologies, and the possibility of cooperation in risk management and emergency response as well as the development of technical skills through advanced training programmes.”
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While Arkab didn’t go into detail about the threats the country’s energy facilities faced, observers link them to security tensions on its south and eastern borders.
Arkab said Algeria wanted to become a regional energy hub, with the support of its solar potential, electricity and gas transmission networks and desalination capacity. He said they would achieve this by developing electricity and gas links with Europe and neighbouring African countries.
Other topics discussed included energy security in the Mediterranean basin and the development of new and renewable energies, especially green hydrogen.
They talked about current and future projects like the “South 2 Corridor” hydrogen pipeline, which will link Algeria to Germany via Italy and Austria, and the integrated project to both produce green hydrogen and its derivatives in Algeria in and export hydrogen to Spain via existing infrastructure or via a new pipeline.
Arkab noted that energy security is today “one of the prominent issues that concern energy producing and consuming countries alike, and that the challenges of economic growth, the geopolitical situation, complex intertwining of transit issues, price fluctuations and supply and demand have made energy security a key focus in international relations.”
He emphasised that Algeria is a major energy producing and exporting country, and that energy security as a concepts means to ensure that its energy needs are met long term, while contributing to global energy security in terms of regularity, stability and credibility in supply with regard to oil, gas and other energy sources.
The Arab Weekly and agencies, Middle East Monitor
