New Gas Pipelines as an Element of the Geopolitical Competition of Algeria and Morocco in Africa

Abstract

The African continent is rich in oil and natural gas resources, much of which is still not fully explored. The reasons for this are climatic and geological conditions, the colonial past, which overlaps with the uneven economic development of the countries in the region, political, economic, and security problems. This article looks at the prospects for expanding gas infrastructure from Nigeria through the Maghrebi-Sahelian region towards the EU. Two gas pipelines will be analyzed – the Trans-Saharan gas pipeline (Nigeria-Algeria) and the Atlantic gas pipeline (Nigeria-Morocco). Due to the fact that two projects are competitive, the question arises which of them has the greater chance of implementation? The main purpose of this article is to investigate whether the construction of new gas pipelines from Africa to the EU is justified, taking into account the processes of transformation of European energy markets and whether the projects of the above-mentioned gas pipelines are economic or political nature. To what extent can these two gas pipelines constitute a strategic interest in terms of natural gas supplies for the European Union and how important will they be in the diversification process compared to other suppliers? Moreover, it is very important to assess whether natural gas resources and capacity will be sufficient to transport gas to the EU, taking into account the demand for this natural gas also in transit countries. The article will analyze the potential and energy infrastructure of Algeria and Nigeria as key exporters of natural gas to the EU from the African region. It will be no less important to find an answer to which role and importance of Morocco, which is a net importer of energy resources but occupies a strategic geographic location, which makes it an important transit country. During an in-depth analysis of all the factors influencing the implementation of two projects, their strengths and weaknesses will also be indicated, and how their implementation may affect the geopolitical situation in the Maghrebi-Sahelian region and relations between countries.