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Algeria Gate: President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune chaired a meeting of the Council of Ministers on Sunday, October 4^th, focusing on Algeria’s 2027 Finance Bill, major strategic infrastructure projects, the 2026 cereal harvest, and the implementation of bilateral agreements with Niger and Chad.

According to the statement issued following the meeting, President Tebboune ordered that salary increases be incorporated into the 2027 Finance Bill, in line with his previous commitment to Algerian citizens.

The President also directed the government not to introduce any new taxes that would affect citizens’ purchasing power, particularly the middle class and low-income households.

The 2027 Finance Bill was subsequently approved.

Algeria Strengthens Ties with Niger and Chad

The Council of Ministers also reviewed progress in implementing the conclusions of joint commissions and bilateral agreements between Algeria, Niger and Chad.

President Tebboune welcomed what he described as the excellent relations between Algeria and the two Sahel countries, despite what he said were attempts to undermine this cooperation at various levels.

He ordered a rigorous follow-up of ongoing projects and called for procedures to be streamlined, particularly in the energy, education, healthcare and telecommunications sectors.

The President further instructed Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb to coordinate closely with his counterparts in Niger and Chad to maintain an effective pace of cooperation and achieve tangible progress.

President Tebboune Orders Immediate Launch of Major Railway Projects to Tamanrasset

A major part of the meeting was devoted to Algeria’s ambitious railway expansion toward the Grand South.

President Tebboune ordered the immediate launch of railway projects covering the Laghouat–Ghardaia–El Meniaa–In Salah–Tamanrasset route, placing the project among the country’s top priorities in the public works sector.

He also called for an overall acceleration of construction operations and insisted that the entire project be completed by the end of 2028.

The objective is to make it possible for Algerians to travel by train from the north of the country all the way to Tamanrasset, marking a historic expansion of Algeria’s national railway network into the far south.

African Development Bank Approves Financing for El Meniaa–Tamanrasset Railway

The Council of Ministers also reviewed the financing agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the construction of the El Meniaa–In Salah–Tamanrasset railway section.

Following approval of the financing, President Tebboune instructed the Minister of Public Works to convey his thanks and encouragement to the workers, technicians and engineers involved in the project.

The President praised their efforts as a major achievement that could finally turn into reality a long-standing dream of generations of Algerians since independence.

The meeting also addressed the construction of Moulay Lahcen railway station in Tamanrasset, which forms part of the broader Laghouat–Ghardaia–El Meniaa–In Salah–Tamanrasset railway project.

Algeria Approves Green Middle East Initiative Charter

Before the conclusion of the Council of Ministers meeting, a presidential decree approving the Charter of the Green Middle East Initiative, adopted in Riyadh, was also approved.

President Tebboune additionally instructed the Minister of Agriculture and the Secretary-General of the Government to dedicate an upcoming Council of Ministers meeting entirely to the agricultural sector.

The meeting was subsequently brought to a close.

Algeria Gate: President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune underlined that Algeria remains firmly committed to independent decision-making in its foreign relations and is respected internationally as a genuine player in promoting regional peace and stability.

Speaking during his regular meeting with representatives of the national media, broadcast on Saturday evening, the President of the Republic outlined Algeria’s approach to relations with its neighbours and its broader foreign policy; a policy built on respect for state sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, strict adherence to international law, and a clear preference for dialogue and peaceful political solutions.

On the Sahel, President Tebboune stressed that lasting stability can only begin with development. Chaos and terrorism, he noted, thrive on poverty and the absence of state institutions.

Turning to the situation in Niger, the head of state revealed that Algeria had sent military aircraft to the neighbouring country after certain parties pressed ahead with their schemes. He recalled that Niger’s Prime Minister, Mohamed Lamine Zeine, had been visiting Algeria and returned home overnight; shortly before a coup attempt took place. “The picture is clear. This is a provocation against us,” President Tebboune stated, citing a classical Arabic verse: “I taught him archery every single day, yet when his arm grew strong, he shot at me. And how many times I taught him the composition of verses, but when he uttered a verse, he satirized me.”

On relations with Mali, he affirmed: “We are closer to each other than anyone imagines,” while reiterating that Algeria will not interfere in the internal affairs of this brotherly country.

Addressing the crises in Sudan and South Sudan, President Tebboune recalled Algeria’s support for South Sudan after its independence, delivered with the backing of the Sudanese side. He questioned the value of independence when war continues to rage, reiterated Algeria’s firm support for both international and domestic legitimacy, called for an end to divisions in Sudan, and urged an immediate halt to all actions fueling the war in this brotherly country.

On the Western Sahara issue, the President of the Republic reaffirmed that Algeria welcomes direct negotiations between the Polisario Front and Morocco. He stressed that “no one can force the Sahrawi people to accept a decision that would wipe them off the map for good,” recalling that United Nations and Security Council resolutions require a solution acceptable to both sides. “The Sahrawis are the ones who decide, and we stand by them,” he declared.

Responding to a question about the Iranian President’s request for a technical stopover in Algeria, President Tebboune stated: “Algeria welcomes him, and any other president. This is Algeria, with its pride and its independent decision.”

On Algerian vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, he described their movements as entirely normal. Algeria, he added, “has no problem with anyone,” and the passage of these ships demonstrates that “we share the great powers’ vision on the stability of the oil market.”

Finally, President Tebboune addressed Algeria’s relations with major powers, reiterating that maintaining relations of friendship and partnership with Russia, the United States and China is entirely possible. Algeria, he stressed, will not give up the friendships that bind it to these countries. In this regard, he highlighted the strong friendship with Russia that serves both nations’ interests and welcomed the continued growth of economic ties between Algiers and Moscow.

Algeria Gate: While France faces severe prison overcrowding, Rassemblement National MP Michel Guiniot chose to question the French government about… Algeria’s future high-security prison in Tanezrouft.

This project, intended notably for major drug traffickers, is nonetheless a sovereign decision by Algeria. Yet the French MP directly linked it to the transfer of Algerian detainees and the expulsion of nationals subject to removal orders.

This approach raises questions: why look to Algeria for a solution to problems that primarily concern the French prison system?

While Paris must manage its own prisons, the episode once again shows how certain French political figures incorporate Algerian decisions into their internal debates on immigration and security.