What Does Washington Really Want From Algeria?

The US position on Algeria following its recent vote at the United Nations against President Donald Trump’s decision on the El Qods issue is feared to put an end to the sensitive security cooperation between the two countries, which has been the most important file between Algeria and Washington since the 1990s.

The United States has been providing $ 1.4 million in financial aid to Algeria, under Security Cooperation track, but Algeria’s vote against Trump’s decision regarding El Qods has prompted the first man in the White House to halt this financial aid, along with aid to other sectors, including $ 12 million in humanitarian aid, as another $ 4 million were provided in the form of assistance to Algerian civil society, totaling more than $ 17 million in overall aid.

Algeria has been a focus for the most senior officials responsible for security affairs in the US administration over the last few years, to the extent that many of the followers of the Algerian-American relations were concerned with making the relationship in the security field being extended to other sectors, while the country needs more American support for Investments.

US aid to the United States has not been clearly disclosed, but the suspension of the aid is a blow to this file, which is the most important file of bilateral cooperation, according to the new ambassador to Algeria, John DeRocher, in his address before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Supreme Chamber of the US Congress.

The relations between the two countries have been strengthened in recent years and expanded further, mentioning three main axes of the US program for Algeria. 

The relevant plan is geared to beefing up security cooperation, developing trade and promoting investment and working with Algerian counterparts. The US diplomat said that Algeria and Washington have held high-level consultations with the participation of official institutions from the two countries for this purpose.

The American interest in fostering security cooperation with Algeria has increased after the solid reputation gained by Algeria in confronting the nefarious scourge of terrorism over more than two decades, which enabled it to be an inevitable partner in the US strategy in the face of terrorism in the world, mostly in North Africa and also in the entire Sahel region as well.

After the US decision came into force, the question of the fate of the exchange of information on terrorism became more than a standing question. For many years, Washington has considered what Algeria’s counter-terrorism drive has achieved solid gains for its neighbors and for the entire Middle East region.

Algeria has previously refused to host the American military base in Africa (AFRICOM) on Algerian soil. However, this dispute did not reach the point of cutting off US aid to Algeria under the title of security cooperation. 

However, the clear-cut position of Algeria against Washington’s unfair recognition of El Qods or Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has created a rift that could harm the security interests of the United States, because its role in fighting the terrorism plague requires a high flow of security information that Washington could lose if it alienates a serious partner like Algeria.