Conflict analysis of Algeria
Local and regional protests about a diverse range of socio-economic issues have been taking place in Algeria since 2011
Abstract
Local and regional protests about a diverse range of socio-economic issues have been taking place in Algeria since 2011. However, much of the literature suggests that Algeria was not greatly affected by the protests emerging from the ‘Arab Spring’. The Algerian government has succeeded in preventing protests from escalating to the levels witnessed in neighbouring countries through a number of short-term economic measures. Algeria’s historical legacy and conflict in neighbouring countries have also led to a reluctance to engage in violent protest.
There is a moderate amount of literature dealing with drivers of conflict in Algeria since the onset of the Arab Spring. The majority of this literature is qualitative, and there is a heavy emphasis on terrorism and on trans-national criminal activities in the Sahara-Sahel region. The literature largely consists of policy papers produced by US-based and European think tanks. The literature dealing with terrorism and criminal networks is relatively consistent, although there is some divergence with regard to the extent of the involvement of Islamist groups in criminal activities.
Algeria faces a diverse range of interrelated security threats. Key drivers of conflict and potential drivers of conflict are Islamist terrorist groups, trafficking and kidnapping, protests, tensions in the Sahrawi camps in Tindouf, and a range of economic and political factors.
Citation
Strachan, A.L. Conflict analysis of Algeria. Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (2014) 23 pp.
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