In this image released on the official Facebook page of the Nigerien presidency on February 16, 2026, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Nigerien junta leader Abdourahamane Tiani are seen during Tiani's visit to Algiers. PRESIDENCE NIGERIENNE/FACEBOOK
General Abdourahamane Tiani had never before traveled outside the borders of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which Niger forms alongside Mali and Burkina Faso. On February 15 and 16, the Nigerien junta leader – who seized power in Niamey through a coup in July 2023 – was welcomed with full honors in Algiers by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. For this diplomatic debut outside the Sahelian confederation, Tiani swapped his trademark green fatigues and beret for a white boubou robe.
For Algeria, which has been losing influence in the Sahel since nationalist military officers seized power through a series of coups between 2020 and 2023, this visit could mark a turning point. It signals a halt to the strategic retreat seen in recent years from its traditional Sahelian backyard, where, to its growing concern, rival Morocco has been seeking to expand its presence. At the end of 2023, King Mohammed VI of Morocco offered Sahelian states access to the Atlantic coast to help them break their economic isolation. Rabat's move was clear: to capitalize on Algeria's strained relations with its southern neighbors.
