Algeria Among Africa’s Leading Diplomatic Powers
A study by the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) has ranked Algeria among the African countries with the strongest diplomatic presence, based on a range of indicators, including diplomatic reach—an instrument widely regarded by specialists as a source of political influence and soft power.
Published on September 17, 2026, under the title “Levers of Influence – Africa: Diplomatic Power,” the study identifies Algeria as one of only six African countries hosting all 15 international actors examined in the report. These include the European Union, China, the United States, Russia, Türkiye, India, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The other five countries are Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal and Tunisia. Algeria therefore emerges on the study’s map as a particularly significant diplomatic crossroads, bringing together a wide range of competing international powers engaged in Africa.
The significance of Algeria in the study is not simply a matter of the number of foreign embassies it hosts. Rather, it reflects its position within the broader network of international competition for influence across the African continent.
The study assesses diplomatic influence through several indicators, including diplomatic presence, high-level political visits, formal partnerships and international summits. It also examines voting patterns at the United Nations General Assembly.
Against this backdrop, the study recorded seven high-level visits by Turkish officials to Algeria, highlighting the country’s importance as a destination for Türkiye’s diplomatic engagement in Africa. It is also worth noting the absence of Morocco, a country portrayed by some circles as a regional power, despite the extensive publicity surrounding what they describe as its supposed influence and diplomatic presence worldwide.
Including Algeria among the countries with the strongest diplomatic presence means that major and middle-ranking international powers are keen to keep their diplomatic channels open with Algeria, at a time when Africa has become an arena for broader competition among the European Union, China, Türkiye, the United States, Russia, the Gulf states and others.
The findings also place North Africa at the heart of international diplomatic activity on the continent. The region accounted for 45.7 percent of all high-level visits recorded to Africa. Algeria, as one of the region’s key countries, has seen notable diplomatic traffic both to and from the country, including the visit of Spain’s prime minister to Algeria and President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s visit to Germany.
Algeria has likewise maintained active diplomatic exchanges with countries in the Sahel, including a visit by Niger’s president to Algiers and an anticipated visit by Mali’s president, in addition to dozens of visits involving heads of government and senior ministers.
According to the study, Algeria’s strategic importance is further reinforced by its geographical position at the intersection of North Africa, the Mediterranean and the Sahel. Its relevance therefore extends beyond the African sphere alone. This location has helped make Algeria an important diplomatic hub for external powers seeking engagement with Africa, reflecting its role within broader networks of international competition and diplomatic outreach across the continent.
The study does not measure influence solely in terms of economic weight or military presence. Instead, it considers embassies, formal partnerships, high-level visits, international summits and voting patterns at the United Nations as indicators of diplomatic influence.
China, for example, has the broadest diplomatic footprint, maintaining 53 embassies in the 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations. The European Union has 50 missions, while the United States has 49 embassies. According to the study, China’s diplomatic network is both the largest and the most geographically balanced across the continent.
However, the size of a diplomatic network does not necessarily translate into dominance across every measure of diplomatic activity. The European Union recorded the highest number of high-level visits, with 75 visits to 25 African countries, compared with 54 by Türkiye and 43 by China.
The study also highlights China’s extensive network of formal partnerships with African countries. By contrast, the European Union and the United States tend to adopt a more selective approach when formalising their relationships with African partners.
At the same time, diplomatic competition in Africa is no longer confined to Europe, the United States and China. Countries such as Türkiye, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Japan have also expanded their presence through summits, formal partnerships and diplomatic initiatives.
Taken together, the study’s findings illustrate the increasingly diverse nature of international engagement with Africa—and the strategic importance of countries such as Algeria within this expanding diplomatic landscape.
