The Arab state sent an army to its friend - to protect the oil

The Council of the Nation, the upper house of the Algerian parliament, unanimously approved sending a military unit to Niger to protect the oil projects of the state-owned company Sonatrach. The decision also requires approval from the lower house.

The Council of the Nation, the upper house of the Algerian parliament, unanimously approved sending a military unit to neighboring Niger to protect the oil projects of the Algerian energy company Sonatrach. The decision was made in a closed emergency session and also requires approval from the lower house, whose debate is scheduled for this evening. At this stage, there is no confirmation in reports that the force has already been deployed. The procedure relies on Article 91 of the Algerian constitution, which allows the president to send military units outside the country's borders after receiving support from two-thirds of the members of each house of parliament. The move comes amid growing security ties between the two countries, and last week Niger's defense minister visited Algeria, where a protocol for military cooperation was signed. Significant economic interests are also in the background, including cooperation in oil production at the Kafra field in northern Niger and the Nigeria-to-Europe gas pipeline project. In early October, President Tebboune explained that his country had signed agreements in the oil and mining sectors, emphasizing: "We are capable of protecting, first and foremost, our friends, and then our shared interests."