Algeria denounces “toxic” climate in relations with France
Algerian president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune has denounced the “toxic” climate in relations between Algeria and France, establishing the conditions for a resumption in dialogue.
According to Atalayar on February 4th, during an interview Tebboune said that Algeria’s current relationship with Paris “is disastrous” and that France are “wasting time with President Macron”, stressing that he wishes to avoid “an irreparable separation”.
“There is no progress, except in trade relations. Political dialogue is practically suspended,” said Tebboune, pointing to “the daily hostile statements” made by French authorities.
Since the Summer of 2024, relations between France and Algeria have rapidly declined after Paris announced their support for Rabat’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara. More recently tensions between Paris and Algeria were exacerbated after French writer Boualem Sansal was arrested in Algeria, as well as a spate of arrests of Algerian influencers began in France.
Tebboune “fully agreed” that dialogue between the two countries should be resumed, a wish the French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, has already expressed. However, Tebboune stated the need for strong political statements to facilitate this, highlighting the importance of ‘the French president, intellectuals and advocates of the relationship making their voices heard’.
On January 15th, French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot also said that he would be “willing to go to Algeria to discuss all issues, not just those that have made headlines in recent weeks”, he suggested that ‘France and Algeria have no interest in continuing the tension between them’.
In the same way, the French Defence Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, called for a “reconstruction of the relationship” between Algeria and France.
Lecornu expressed disappointment that hatred of France has become a matter of domestic politics in Algeria. He also suggested that the tensions between the two countries amount to wasting time in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region.
Atalayar, Maghrebi, Afrinz.ru
