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Join on Telegram Rabat — Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune used the 4th Intra-African Trade Fair in Algiers to announce that Algerian ports could soon become the continent’s express lanes for landlocked African countries.
“It is conceivable that goods could reach Algerian ports and then be transported in just twenty-four hours by train,” he claimed. Acknowledging that Algeria had “turned its back on Africa,” Tebboune promised a dramatic turnaround.
Algeria’s sudden enthusiasm for African trade comes years too late. For decades, it has struggled to maintain meaningful ties with Sahel countries, yet now it seeks to compete with Morocco, which has already secured partnerships and structured plans.
Morocco already leads the way when it launched a structured initiative in November 2023 to give Sahel countries access to the Atlantic.
By December, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad formally joined the project, with ongoing expert-level consultations to ensure operational progress. Morocco’s initiative has real partners, real timelines, and real credibility — qualities Algeria’s plan currently lacks.
Central to Morocco’s plan is the Dakhla Atlantique port in its southern provinces, spanning 1,650 hectares and expected to open by late 2028. The port will connect major West African ports to Tangier and Casablanca, supported by a 2,200-kilometer road corridor linking Mali, Ouagadougou, Niamey, and N’Djamena.
In April, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — members of the Sahel States Alliance (AES) — met King Mohammed VI in Rabat to affirm their commitment to fast-track the project. Officials stressed Morocco’s crucial support at a moment of regional pressure, describing the initiative as both a gateway to the sea and a step toward broad economic transformation.
The project also strengthens Morocco’s position against Algeria, which the Sahelian bloc accuses of interference and destabilizing actions, including the alleged downing of a Malian army drone, prompting the recall of ambassadors to Algiers.
Hence, Algeria’s recent announcement seems less about regional development and more about optics. Its historical tension with Sahel countries undermines its credibility, turning grandiose statements into political theater.
If the goal was to compete with Morocco’s influence, Algeria’s approach reads as reactive rather than strategic — a latecomer waving a flag in a race already underway. While Morocco steadily converts plans into action, Algeria risks looking like a country enamored with headlines rather than results.
For now, Tebboune’s Sahel vision may excite audiences in Algiers, but beyond the rhetoric, the question remains if Algeria can turn its lofty promises into anything more than a fleeting moment of political showmanship.
