Sahara: Algeria boycotts Russia energy week amid growing tension

The Rabat-Moscow rapprochement over the Sahara issue has infuriated the Algerian rulers who responded with a boycott of the Russian Energy week 2025, a major international event organized in Moscow October 15 to 17 to discuss key challenges and innovations shaping the global energy sector.

According to intelligence sources, a senior Algerian delegation, composed of the CEO of Sonatrach, the Minister of Hydrocarbons & Mines, and the Presidential Advisor for energy, was preparing to fly to Moscow but their trip was cancelled by President Tebboune himself.

The Algerian boycott comes after Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov expressed his country’s readiness to support the Moroccan autonomy plan under the Kingdom’s sovereignty, describing the Autonomy plan as a “form of self-determination”. His remarks were seen by Algiers as a major shift in the position of Moscow which has always been cautious in its approach regarding the Sahara regional conflict.

Another bone of contention between Algeria and Russia has been their opposing stands over the situation in northern Mali and Sahel. Bamako, which is supported by Moscow, accuses Algiers of interfering in its internal politics and backing Tuareg rebels. Niger and Burkina-Faso have formed a united front with Mali against the Algerian regime.

During his latest meeting with representatives of Arab media in Moscow, Lavrov said the borders inherited from colonial powers are the main source of several conflicts across the African Continent, citing in this regard the Algeria–Mali dispute and the Tuareg issue.

The statement of Russia’s top diplomat dealt a hard blow to the colonial borders of Algeria. During the past colonial period, France unfairly ceded to Algeria several Moroccan territories including Eastern Sahara.

Moscow, which supports Sahel States: Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, has praised the royal initiatives aimed at strengthening stability and promoting the development of the African continent, particularly the initiative offering Atlantic Ocean access to the African landlocked countries.

Morocco and Russia have pledged to respect the territorial integrity of both countries. They have also signed new fisheries agreement including the Sahara territorial waters. This means that Russia has joined the long list of countries recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara.