Algeria, West Africa
Algiers strives to return to centre stage in the Sahel
Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune has been trying for several weeks to bring his influence to bear on the situation in the Sahel. He is relying particularly on African Union peace and security commissioner Smaïl Chergui, who is leading an intense lobbying operation in favour of deployment of a 3,000-strong AU force in the region.