Algeria’s Assertive Re-emergence

Regional politics in the Middle East and North Africa fundamentally trans- formed following the 2010–11 uprisings known as the Arab Spring. National leaderships became more apprehensive about their prospects and uncer- tain about both the distribution of power and the reliability of alignments. Consequently, states throughout the region became more apt to threaten or use military force to manage inter-state disputes. Furthermore, adherence to the principle of non-intervention in other states’ internal affairs substantially diminished. Given its history, Algeria might have been expected to opt out of this transformation, but Algerian foreign policy too has palpably shifted. Algeria is re-emerging as an assertive regional actor, particularly in the Sahel.2 Bilateral relations that were once broadly accommodative have become presumptively contentious. Disputes that used to be managed through diplo- macy now sometimes elicit military responses. Most surprisingly, Algeria’s long-standing commitment to non-intervention has wavered.