France and Algeria strengthen economic partnership

Algeria and France are renewing their economic cooperation with a visit by Patrick Martin, President of the MEDEF ( Movement of French Businesses), the largest union of business owners in France, reports Algerie 360 on 17th April.

Martin, accompanied by the president of the French-Algerian Affairs Council, was received by Kamel Moula, president of the Algerian Council Economic Renewal (CREA), who represents Algerian business owners. In a joint statement, the two groups emphasized the need to reinforce economic dialogue in a wider context of instability and climate insecurity.

This meeting shows a desire from both sides to build new business collaborations and to develop opportunities, particularly since the thawing in French-Algerian relations following the official visit of French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez to Algiers in February 2026. He was received by Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune, and the meeting was considered a success of both sides, with diplomatic relations and intelligence collaboration restarting soon after.

There are already major French companies implanted in Algeria, such as energy giant TotalEnergies and banks BNP Paribas and Société Générale, and hundreds of smaller French businesses who work with and provide services to the Algerian population. While French influence is generally on the decline in Algeria, competing with other global powers such as Russia or China, these companies are well established and are important parts of the Algerian social and economic landscape.

Algeria has been making significant efforts to explore new economic partnerships in the past year, with a  major gas pipeline project with Nigeria and a focus on new technologies, with a recent tech summit bringing experts from all over Africa. Its economy remains heavily reliant on hydrocarbon exports, but the Tebboune government is actively looking for alternative models. It has also undertaken a number of reforms in order to facilitate foreign investments and to modernize procedures, leading to praise from IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva for the country’s diversification progress.

Algerie 360, Jeune Afrique, Maghrebi.org