Algerian Regime Faces Accusations of Fueling Tension in the Sahel and Sahara

The Algerian regime is increasingly facing accusations from regional observers and analysts of actively exacerbating the security and political crises plaguing the Sahel and Sahara region. Rather than being isolated internal issues, the escalating conflicts are seen as symptomatic of deep-seated structural flaws in state formation across the region, compounded by the influence of foreign actors. In Mali, specifically, a disturbing convergence between separatist movements and terrorist organizations is reportedly being fostered, creating a new reality aimed at undermining state unity and posing a significant threat to regional security through the establishment of terrorist havens.

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The current situation in Africa is primarily governed by historical causes, stemming from the failure to build African states on foundations of political and institutional stability, as the phenomenon of repeated coups has destabilized the entity of states and undermined their stability.

Experts interviewed by Hespress point to a deliberate entrenchment of this nexus between terrorism and separatism in Mali, orchestrated by regional players, with Algeria at the forefront. This alleged support not only jeopardizes Mali's stability but also extends its reach into North Africa, creating escalating security challenges. The article highlights how the perceived Algerian role in facilitating the transfer of dynamics across borders makes separatism a convenient gateway for the expansion and consolidation of terrorist influence in the wider region.

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The failure of the democratic transition in the continent has made political practice and democratic traditions almost absent, creating space for the intervention of foreign and geopolitical agendas that have contributed to weakening the structure of African states.

Dr. Lahcen Aqrartit, a specialist in political affairs and international relations, attributes the current instability in Africa to historical factors, including the failure to build African states on foundations of political and institutional stability, exacerbated by recurrent coups. He notes the broader failure of democratic transitions, which has created a vacuum for foreign agendas to weaken African states. This institutional fragility, he argues, has paved the way for separatist phenomena, transforming the Sahel into a strategic hub for terrorist organizations and non-state actors. The dire socio-economic conditions, partly blamed on neo-colonial policies and state weakness, further create fertile ground for criminal networks, terrorist groups, and separatist movements, all united by a common goal: the disintegration of the nation-state. Aqrartit specifically accuses Algeria of playing a destabilizing role by providing cover for terrorists, which Malian authorities have repeatedly alleged gives these groups strategic depth to pursue specific agendas in the region.

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This institutional weakness has paved the way for the spread of separatist phenomena, turning the Greater Sahel and Sahara region into a strategic center of gravity for terrorist organizations and non-state entities.

Abdel Fatah Al-Fatihi, Director of the Sahara and Africa Center for Strategic Studies, corroborates these concerns, stating that the current situation in Mali clearly indicates that entities with a vested interest in undermining the ruling military junta are the same ones promoting separatist agendas, with Algeria identified as the primary coordinator and supporter. Al-Fatihi points to historical ties between Algeria and the separatist Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA) as evidence supporting Algeria's current stance, suggesting it is a direct move to antagonize the Malian military council. This alleged Algerian role, according to Al-Fatihi, transcends mere political support, indicating a more active involvement in shaping events within the region.

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The concentration of ISIS and other terrorist organizations in the region came as a result of a catastrophic economic and social situation left by neo-colonial policies, added to the state's fragility resulting from coups; making these states an easy prey for criminal networks, terrorist organizations, and separatist movements that all share one goal: dismantling and weakening the nation-state.