French President Emmanuel Macron and his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Teboun heralded a “new, irreversible dynamic of progress” in their nations’ ties, concluding Macron’s visit aimed at ending months of tensions. The three-day visit that ended on Saturday came less than two months after Algeria marked six decades of independence after 132 years of French rule and a devastating eight-year war. It also came as European powers sought to replace Russian energy imports – including with supplies from Algeria, Africa’s top natural gas exporter, which in turn is seeking to expand its influence in North Africa and the Sahel. In their joint statement, the two leaders said that “France and Algeria have decided to open a new era … laying the foundations for a renewed partnership expressed through a concrete and constructive approach, focused on future projects and youth.” At the signing ceremony, Tebboune, addressing his guest in French, gushed about an “excellent, successful visit … that allowed an approach that would not have been possible without the personality of President Macron himself.” Ties between Paris and Algeria have seen repeated crises over the years. They have been particularly cool since last year when Macron questioned Algeria’s existence as a nation before French occupation and accused the government of inciting “hatred of France”. Tebboune withdrew his country’s ambassador in response and banned French military aircraft from its airspace. Normal diplomatic relations have since been restored, along with overflights of French military bases in sub-Saharan Africa.
“New agreement”
After promising to “build a new pact”, Macron was at the spiritual home of Rai music on Saturday, visiting a record shop made famous by French-Algerian singer DJ Snake’s recent hit of the same name, Disco Maghreb. He also met athletes and artists and went on a somewhat chaotic walk through the streets where police fought with onlookers trying to shake his hand or take pictures. On Friday night, Macron had dinner with Algerian writer Kamel Daoud and other figures from Oran. He had also met young businessmen who asked him about the difficulties of obtaining a visa to France, the decline of the French language in its former colony and contentious issues surrounding the two countries’ painful pasts. Macron announced that an additional 8,000 Algerian students will be accepted to study in France this year, while 30,000 are already in the country. He also announced the creation of a joint commission of historians to examine the colonial period and the devastating eight-year war that ended it. But in France, both left and right politicians were outraged by the proposal. Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure noted that Macron had in 2017 called French colonialism a “crime against humanity” and then questioned Algeria’s existence as a nation before the colonial period. “The lightness with which he treats the subject is an insult to hurt memories,” Faure tweeted. Far-right leader Thomas Menage tweeted that Algeria should stop “using its past to avoid establishing real, friendly diplomatic relations”.
