Algeria and France have agreed to revive security and migration cooperation after months of diplomatic tensions, signaling a thaw between the two nations. In a pivotal phone call Monday, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to address historical grievances and strengthen economic ties, marking a potential turning point in their rocky relationship.
Key Agreements on the Table
The leaders confirmed the immediate restart of a joint commission to study colonial-era history, aiming to deliver findings by summer 2024 . Judicial cooperation will resume with France’s justice minister visiting Algeria soon, while migration policies are set for a reboot to ensure 'credible and smooth' processes.
Beyond Colonial Shadows
France ruled Algeria for 132 years until 1962, and Algiers has long pushed for Paris to acknowledge colonial-era wrongs. This month, Algeria’s parliament even began drafting a law to criminalize French colonial rule—a move Macron hopes to counterbalance through dialogue.
Economic Ambitions & Soft Power
Macron pledged support for revising the Algeria-EU trade deal, which Algiers claims favors Europe. The call also saw Macron advocating for the release of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, 80, jailed for 'undermining national unity.'
With France’s foreign minister set to visit Algeria April 6 and plans for a Macron-Tebboune meeting, both nations seem eager to turn the page. But as one historian noted: 'The past is a ghost at every table.' Will this fragile thaw last? Stay tuned.
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Algeria, France agree to resume security cooperation amid rift
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