Beyond LNG: Berlin’s red-carpet diplomacy signals a bigger bet on Algeria

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune received a high-profile reception in Berlin on July 16, 2026, including military honours at Villa Borsig and talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The visit, initiated through an invitation from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, was presented as part of a broader German effort to deepen political and commercial ties with Algeria after the loss of Russian pipeline gas.

Energy was central, but the agenda went beyond liquefied natural gas. Al Jazeera said Algeria’s state energy company Sonatrach had made its first LNG delivery to Germany via a tanker carrying gas from the GL2Z complex near Oran to Wilhelmshaven. At a bilateral economic forum in Berlin, German and Algerian companies signed 30 agreements covering hydrocarbons, renewables, energy transition, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and advanced technology.

The timing reflects Europe’s continuing search for alternative suppliers. According to figures cited by Al Jazeera, Russia’s share of EU pipeline gas imports has fallen sharply since 2021, while Algeria has become one of the bloc’s leading gas sources after Norway. Merz described Algeria as important to Europe’s energy security and also pointed to its natural gas, oil and rare earth deposits.

Hydrogen was another major theme. Tebboune and Merz discussed the Southern Hydrogen Corridor, a proposed pipeline linking North Africa with Italy, Austria and Germany. Al Jazeera noted that the project has EU backing and political support, but still needs binding purchase commitments from buyers before major investment decisions can advance.