France seeks to normalize ties with Algeria amid migration concerns

French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noel Barrot expressed France's interest in restoring diplomatic relations with Algeria, emphasizing the importance of addressing irregular migration and enhancing intelligence cooperation.

In an interview with France Inter, Barrot highlighted France's recent decision to expel Algerian diplomats as a demonstration of its commitment to respond decisively to Algeria's actions. He underscored the necessity of dialogue to achieve tangible results for the French populace.

Barrot stated, “If we want results for French men and women, we will, sooner or later, need to return to a frank, clear-eyed, and demanding dialogue” with Algeria.

This diplomatic tension escalated when Algeria expelled 12 French officials from the Interior Ministry, prompting France to summon its ambassador to Algiers for consultations.

Barrot reiterated that dialogue remains crucial for France, which aims to maintain a normal relationship with Algeria. He noted that this relationship is essential for deporting irregular migrants, collaborating on intelligence against terrorism, and securing the release of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who is currently imprisoned in Algeria.

Sansal, a prominent critic of the Algerian government, was arrested in November for allegedly undermining national unity and was sentenced to five years in prison in March. His case has become a focal point of tensions between France and Algeria, with President Emmanuel Macron condemning the writer's imprisonment as a “disgrace.”

Macron remarked, “Algeria dishonors itself by preventing a gravely ill man from receiving proper care,” stressing that such actions do not reflect the values of a nation with shared historical and familial ties to France.

The strained relations are further complicated by Algeria's dissatisfaction with France's recent stance on Western Sahara, where Algeria supports the Polisario Front, a group seeking independence from Morocco. In response to France's position, Algeria recalled its ambassador and publicly condemned the decision.