Algeria hosts NATO's top southern commander as US military engagement deepens

Algeria's army chief, General Saïd Chanegriha, received Admiral George Wikoff at the headquarters of the People's National Army (PNA) Staff in Algiers on Tuesday 9 June, the Algerian Ministry of National Defence said in a statement.

Wikoff holds concurrent command of US Naval Forces Europe-Africa and NATO's Allied Joint Force Command (JFC) Naples, making him one of the most senior Western military officers operating across the Mediterranean and African theatres.

The two sides reviewed the state of bilateral military cooperation and exchanged assessments on shared regional security concerns, the ministry said. Senior officers from the ministry and the PNA Staff attended alongside members of the US military delegation.

Wikoff also held a separate meeting with Major General Mahfoud Benmeddah, commander of Algeria's Naval Forces, at Naval Forces Command headquarters.

Maritime security and non-alignment

The Algerian ministry said Chanegriha underscored Algeria's adherence to the principle of non-alignment and its commitment to independent decision-making in all international partnerships. Wikoff, for his part, praised the contribution of the People's National Army to maritime security requirements in the western Mediterranean, the ministry said.

Chanegriha also referenced a series of recent high-level engagements — including a visit earlier this year by the commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM) — as evidence of growing momentum in Algerian-American defence relations.

Backdrop: the January 2025 memorandum

The visit falls within the framework of a Military Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding signed on 22 January 2025 between the Algerian Ministry of National Defence and the US Department of Defense. AFRICOM commander General Michael Langley signed the agreement alongside Chanegriha in Algiers during his third official visit to the country.

The MOU, described at the time as a first of its kind between the two countries, outlined intentions to explore cooperation in maritime search and rescue, counterterrorism, military training and military healthcare. It established a Joint Military Commission to meet annually to identify concrete cooperation proposals.

Algeria has historically maintained a policy of military non-alignment and sourced most of its hardware from Russia. The deepening engagement with Washington has been linked, in part, to tensions over the growing role of Russian contractors in the Sahel — a region Algiers regards as central to its own security.

Wikoff assumed command of JFC Naples and US Naval Forces Europe-Africa in late 2025, succeeding Admiral Stuart Munsch. He previously commanded US Naval Forces Central Command and the Fifth Fleet, overseeing operations during the Red Sea crisis.