Dialogue with Algiers is a necessity says French Ambassador

Dialogue with Algeria is a necessity rather than a sign of weakness, France’s ambassador to Algiers, Stéphane Romatet, declared during a May 25th broadcast on France Inter radio. The statement marks a concerted effort by Paris to repair ties following nearly two years of a profound diplomatic crisis according to a report by Jeune Afrique, a Paris-based pan-African outlet. Ambassador Romatet, who returned to his post on May 8th after being recalled by President Emmanuel Macron last year, urged mutual respect between the two nations as they navigate a delicate rapprochement.

The diplomatic fallout originally erupted in the summer of 2024. The crisis was triggered when Paris formally backed Morocco’s autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara territory under Moroccan sovereignty. Algiers, the primary financial and military backer of the Polisario Front independence movement, reacted swiftly by recalling its ambassador from France.

Relations degraded further over a series of highly publicised security and political incidents. In November 2024, Algerian authorities arrested Franco-Algerian author Boualem Sansal, who was eventually pardoned in late 2025. Tensions peaked in April 2025 following the indictment of an Algerian consular agent in France. The agent was accused of involvement in the kidnapping of dissident influencer Amir DZ. This scandal led to the reciprocal expulsion of a dozen diplomats and the temporary withdrawal of Ambassador Romatet.

Despite these severe fractures, a diplomatic thaw has been quietly underway since February, driven by visits from three French ministers to Algiers. Romatet indicated that more high-level ministerial exchanges are scheduled in the coming weeks. The ambassador also linked the renewed dialogue to efforts to secure the release of French reporter Christophe Gleizes. Gleizes was arrested in Kabylie in May 2024 and sentenced on appeal to seven years in prison for “apology for terrorism.”

However, the path to normalisation remains fraught. Romatet heavily criticised recent personal attacks published by the Algerian daily El Watan against French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, that he described as “unacceptable”. The newspaper accused Barrot of “vassalisation” to Rabat following his official visit to Morocco on May 20th. Romatet emphasised that France expects full respect from the Algerian state if the reconciliation is to succeed.

This fragile diplomatic manoeuvring takes place as France walks the tight rope between Morocco and Algeria who continue to pour record billions into heavy weaponry along their highly reactive frontier, as reported by Maghrebi Week.

Maghrebi.org, Maghrebi Week, France Inter Radio, Jeune Afrique.