Jean-Noël Barrot visiting Algiers, after eight months of disaster between France and Algeria | EUROtoday

It is a query of concretizing bilateral warming after eight months of a disaster which led the 2 nations to the sting of the rupture. The head of French diplomacy, Jean-Noël Barrot, started a go to to Algiers on Sunday, April 6, which gives an interview with the president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

Arrived in the course of the morning, Mr. Barrot had a “One hour and forty-five minutes”in response to his providers, along with his counterpart, Ahmed Attaf, and in prolonged format, in an try and flatten essentially the most thorny recordsdata. In the early afternoon, he educated with the Algerian head of state. With Mr. Attaf, the exchanges have been “In -depth, frank and constructive in line with the exchange between the presidents [Emmanuel] Macron and [Abdelmadjid]Tebboune “specializing in “Regional subjects and bilateral relationship including migratory subjects”mentioned a French diplomatic supply.

Since the phone name on March 31 between French President, Emmanuel Macron, and Mr. Tebboune, who has relaunched bilateral dialogue, relations “Seem to borrow a constructive trajectory”in response to the Algerian authorities newspaper El Moudjahid. In addition to migration questions, Paris hopes “Results” On safety and financial recordsdata, mentioned Barrot.

The disaster of unprecedented severity between Algeria and its former colonial energy (1830-1962) began in the summertime of 2024 when Mr. Macron supplied whole help to a plan of autonomy underneath Moroccan sovereignty for Western Sahara, claimed for 50 years by the separatists of the Polisario supported by Algiers. Algeria instantly withdrew its ambassador to Paris.

“An ambitious work program”

In the autumn, the arrest in Algiers of the Franco-Algerian author Boualem Sansal, for declarations thought-about as a “Attack on the integrity of the territory”raised the tensions of a notch, which then ignited in the beginning of 2025 when Paris claimed the expulsion of Algerian influencers, repressed by Algiers.

A spotlight was reached on the finish of February, the day when the French Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, raised an accusing finger in opposition to Algeria following an assault in France dedicated by an Algerian, whose obligation to go away the territory was refused by Algiers. But since MM. Macron and Tebboune have regained issues in hand, there’s, in response to Paris, a joint want to discover a peaceable and balanced relationship.

Mr. Barrot’s go to goals to ascertain “An ambitious work program” And to develop an implementation calendar, in response to its providers. For the Algerian newspaper The expressionhis coming reveals that “Relations resume their normal course, without the need to declare a winner in this diplomatic quarrel” And “Demonstrates the impossibility of a break between Algeria and France”.

Algiers considers himself, in reality, sufferer of a cabal of“An extreme right nostalgic for French Algeria” and proper -wing leaders with their heads Bruno Retailleau, within the marketing campaign to move the Les Républicains occasion. For Paris, the quick resumption of cooperation between intelligence providers within the struggle in opposition to terrorism within the Sahel, the place Algeria is bordering Mali and Niger, and on the return of the jihadists of Syria is a precedence.

The 1994 bilateral settlement in query

Another French concern: apply “Strictly” The bilateral settlement of 1994 on the acceptance by Algeria of its expelled nationals. Paris needs to extend the speed, regardless of “A part of forced feedback [vers l’Algérie] greater than the average “ Other nations in 2024, in response to the overall administration of foreigners.

For Algiers, the help of which Mr. Macron assured in his negotiations with Brussels, for a revision of his partnership with the European Union, is essential. For its half, Paris is worried in regards to the destiny of 6,000 French corporations positioned in Algeria. The two events must also point out in Algiers a mutual exemption settlement for diplomatic visas, after restrictions imposed by Paris in retaliation for the refusal of Algiers to take up sure nationals.

The case of Boualem Sansal may very well be talked about. Emmanuel Macron pleaded with Mr. Tebboune for “A humanitarian outcome” For the author over 80 years outdated, with most cancers, sentenced on March 27 to 5 years in jail. The Algerian prosecutor’s workplace, which had requested ten years, appealed the conviction. According to legal professionals in Algiers, a discount in sentence and presumably presidential grace would permit his early launch.