France and Algeria are back to talking, for now

France and Algeria are moving to mend ties and resume diplomatic visits after one of the worst diplomatic crises in their fraught history.

In a phone call on 31 March, French President Emmanuel Macron and his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, agreed to revive dialogue and resume cooperation on security and migration—two of the most contentious issues between Paris and its former colony.

Their conversation, which took place on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, reaffirmed a “fruitful dialogue” that began during Macron’s 2022 visit to Algiers, according to a joint statement.  

“They agreed that the deep human ties between France and Algeria, along with their respective strategic and security interests, and the crises facing Europe, the Mediterranean, and Africa, necessitate a return to an equal-footing dialogue”, the statement read.  

Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot is set to visit Algiers on 6 April to “give fresh impetus” to the bilateral relationship.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, who has been at the forefront of the crisis, will follow, aiming to restart judicial cooperation. Macron and Tebboune have also “agreed in principle” to meet soon, though no details were provided.  

Paris and Algiers have agreed to the “immediate resumption of security cooperation,” a critical pillar in counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel and the fight against human trafficking.

Migration policy, the flashpoint of recent tensions, will also be “immediately reinitiated” with a focus on results, according to the joint statement.  

One of the most fraught issues remains France’s demand that Algeria take back nationals subject to deportation orders.

The controversy escalated after the 22 February knife attack in Mulhouse, when an Algerian national, who had been the subject of multiple deportation requests, killed one person and injured several others.

Algeria’s refusal to accept repatriations has reignited debates in Paris, with some conservative ministers calling for the scrapping of post-independence agreements that facilitate the movement of Algerian nationals and diplomats.  

In March, Tebboune drew a clear distinction between his relationship with Matignon—dominated by conservatives—and his ties with French president Emmanuel Macron, whom he described as “his sole point of reference.”  

Algeria-France: Historical reconciliation

The two leaders also committed to “continuing and finalising” historical reconciliation efforts over France’s 132-year colonisation of Algeria and the bloody war of independence that ended in 1962.

A joint commission of historians, which had been stalled for months, will resume its work “without delay” and is expected to present “concrete proposals” before the summer of 2025.  

The Franco-Algerian relationship has been particularly volatile in the last eight months. 

In July 2024, Macron’s endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara infuriated Algiers, which backs the separatist Polisario Front.

The rift widened further in the autumn with the arrest of Algerian French writer Boualem Sansal, 80, over remarks made on the far-right French platform Frontières, which were deemed an attack on Algeria’s territorial integrity. Last week, an Algerian court sentenced him to five years in prison.  

Macron has since appealed to Tebboune for a presidential pardon, calling for “a gesture of clemency and humanity.” In France, Sansal’s imprisonment has sparked an outcry, particularly among the right and far right.  

While the latest diplomatic efforts may have averted a complete breakdown, reconciliation has never come easy for Paris and Algiers. Long-standing grievances—both historical and political—continue to shape a relationship that, despite moments of détente, remains defined by deep-seated mistrust.