France Is Jittery About Algeria’s Growing Military Power In The Mediterranean

How do the French view Algeria? A question that can be answered through the perception embodied in a detailed 125-page French official report, in which Algeria was mentioned 79 times.. The report that “Echorouk” reviewed delved into everything related to Algeria, politically, economically and militarily…

It also outlined a number of questions about the background to the growing military power of Algeria and its impact on peace in the Mediterranean basin, without forgetting to make a comparison with the western neighbor in the field of military power.
The report was drafted for the defense committee of the French National Assembly and was discussed in the lower chamber of the French Parliament by deputies and in the presence of senior officials in the French army. In the Mediterranean Basin and the Sahel, which Paris considers a purely French zone of influence.

According to the report’s authors, there are many facts that no longer play in favor of the development of Algerian-French relations, despite the assertion by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ramtane Lamamra, that their improvement is in an upward direction.
The report says that during the past five years, bilateral relations have not been stable, and have been marred by a lot of tension at many levels, foremost of which is the memory file, which has often exacerbated it. What is frightening for the French is that this tension has also affected economic and security cooperation.

The parliamentary report indicates that questioning the French influence in Algeria is increasing, whether in the context of political or diplomatic relations, as well as entrepreneurship and commercial relations, as well as relations in the field of defense.
The report attributes this shift to the Arabic-speaking elites, who view the French-speaking culture as an alien element to the Algerian culture, as well as the presence of other explanations, such as the decline in the attendance of French elites, which can be traced back to the role played by the school, which produced generations who do not master the French language, as was the case in the past, when the emerging Algerian elites were turning to France, unlike today, they are directed to other countries such as Russia.

Here, the report believes that it is necessary to rely on some means and adopt some strategies, such as “bolstering human intelligence resources in the Maghreb countries, which showed their shortcomings by not anticipating the outbreak of the so-called “Arab Spring”.”

On the other hand, the report showed a preoccupation with the growing strength of the Algerian army, by tracking Algeria’s purchases of weapons since the famous deal concluded between Algeria and Russia in 2006, followed by a focus on the national budget allocations for defense affairs, which it said exceeded ten billion euros per year.
This made Algeria ranked fifth in the world and first in Africa, according to the report, and according to the military attache at the French Embassy in Algeria, Colonel Stephane Richeau.

The authors of the report also focused on the Algerian army’s naval capabilities, describing this development as significant, according to Admiral Pierre Vandey, Chief of Staff of the French Navy, who was heard at the Defense Committee last autumn, which turned the balance of power in the West Bank of the Mediterranean, in favor of Algeria, compared to the western neighbor.

The authors of the report believe that Algeria has the ability to confront in the Mediterranean Sea up to the Strait of Gibraltar, thanks to the advanced weapons it purchased from Russia, especially those related to the air force, anti-aircraft and electronic jamming, based on a reading of General Philip Morales, commander of the Air Defense Force and Air Operations, who questioned the purpose of this armament and its repercussions on the region, but quickly linked it to the escalation with Morocco and the volatile situation in Mali and Libya.