Algeria's water challenges will grow

Significance Much of the water is utilised for agricultural purposes, and the government has struggled to provide sufficient resources to urban and rural residents. Moreover, Algeria has considerable shale gas potential, which could be exported, but much of that lies around fossil groundwater aquifers. This gas potential is partly driving a bullish strategy to expand water supply. Impacts With an eye to his legacy, the Algerian president will prioritise containing public discontent, including over water scarcity. Algeria will consider expanding cooperation with Tunisia on climate mitigation actions. Despite shared challenges, Algerian-Moroccan hostilities will preclude joint climate and water measures. Algerian-EU trade disputes could disincentivise European companies from investing in Algeria. Resource scarcity will drive North African migration to Europe.