Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune received Saudi Arabia’s Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud in Algiers on Monday for talks centered on bilateral relations and security cooperation, a meeting that underscored Riyadh’s sustained diplomatic engagement in North Africa at a moment of notable regional realignment.
Saudi Arabia–Algeria Security Dialogue Gains Visibility Amid Regional Power Realignments
According to coverage by Asharq Al-Awsat, the Saudi interior minister conveyed greetings to President Tebboune from King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, alongside expressions of goodwill for Algeria’s continued progress and prosperity. The discussions were presented as part of an ongoing effort to strengthen coordination between the two countries, particularly in areas related to internal security and broader bilateral cooperation. The Algiers meeting unfolded against a complex regional backdrop in which Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, long regarded as close partners, have increasingly adopted divergent approaches to regional policy, a trend that has become visible in conflict theaters such as Yemen and Sudan, where each country is associated with different local actors.
Algeria’s Regional Calculus and Gulf Rivalries Shape the Diplomatic Context
Algeria’s position has drawn attention in this evolving landscape. Reporting by Algerian outlet El-Khabar has indicated that Algerian authorities have considered the possibility of severing diplomatic relations with the UAE over actions they view as destabilizing and contrary to Algeria’s national unity and broader Arab interests. Algerian officials have, over recent years, publicly expressed concern about what they describe as interference and destabilizing maneuvers by an unnamed Gulf state, with official circles later attributing these concerns to the UAE. These allegations, as reported in Algerian media, have included claims of suspicious diplomatic activity and accusations that the UAE has supported the Paris-based Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie, a separatist organization advocating independence for Algeria’s Kabylia region. These assertions have been attributed to Algerian sources and have not been independently verified.