Algeria is actively working to reassert its influence in the Sahel region, a strategic area where its standing has diminished following a series of military coups between 2020 and 2023. A significant step in this effort was the February 15-16 visit of Niger's junta leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani, to Algiers, marking his first diplomatic trip outside the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) comprising Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. This visit, where Tiani met with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, signals a potential turning point for Algeria, aiming to counter its rival Morocco's growing presence. Morocco had recently offered landlocked Sahelian states access to its Atlantic coast, a move perceived as an attempt to capitalize on Algeria's strained relations with its southern neighbors.