US Secretary of State John Kerry was due in Algiers later Wednesday at the start of a North African tour expected to be dominated by the threat posed by Al-Qaeda.

US Secretary of State John Kerry was due in Algiers later Wednesday at the start of a North African tour expected to be dominated by the threat posed by Al-Qaeda.

"The question of the Sahel will be a central issue in the discussions," Algerian foreign ministry spokesman Abdelaziz Cherif Benali told state radio.

"Algeria is recognized by its American partners as a key country" in the region, and is trying to "coordinate its efforts with the United States to help restore stability and promote development in neighboring countries vulnerable to unrest," he added.