Faced with the deep crisis between Paris and Algiers, rare voices are calling for calm

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Paris (France)

• January 29, 2025 13:33
• AFP (Célia LEBUR, Cécile FEUILLATRE (STF))
  /ANGLE PAPER

Polar diplomatic relations, economic obstacles… Faced with the already tangible effects of the rift between Algiers and Paris, a few rare French personalities call for calm in order to preserve the particular and historical interests that unite the two countries.

Emmanuel Macron’s decision this summer to recognize Western Sahara as part of «Morocco’s sovereignty» sparked the fury of Algiers, which has supported the Sahrawi independence movement of the Polisario Front for more than half a century.

Tensions have further escalated with the detention in Algeria of the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal and the arrest in France of several Algerian and Franco-Algerian influencers for advocating violence.

Diplomatic relations are now virtually broken, and the new crisis is very deep and likely to be long-lasting, with a level of «toxicity» unprecedented to date, as acknowledged in Paris.

A simple chargé d’affaires has been serving in Paris since the departure in July of the Algerian ambassador, Saïd Moussi. His French counterpart, Stéphane Romatet, who is still in office, hardly has any contact with the officials in Algiers, except in case of a summons to inform them of their dissatisfaction.

The latest one, on Tuesday, aimed to denounce alleged «degrading treatment» against Algerian passengers at Parisian airports.

• «Algophobia» –

In France, where 2.5 to 3 million people are dual nationals or French citizens of Algerian origin, many right-wing and far-right politicians are taking turns in the media to call for a «response» or «punitive measures» targeting, in particular, the issuance of visas.

In return, Algerian media daily inveigh against the French government, denouncing an «Algerophobia» and a «disinformation campaign» against their country.

There have been few nuanced voices in recent weeks. After discussing possible retaliatory measures, the head of French diplomacy, Jean-Noël Barrot, nevertheless took a step towards Algiers, saying he was «ready» to travel there.

While security cooperation is also at a standstill, the French Minister of the Armed Forces reminded the Algerian partner of the importance of the country in a region of the Sahel that is very troubled – and that has seen the resumption of kidnappings of Westerners in recent weeks.

«In military, intelligence or counter-terrorism matters, we need good coordination between Algiers and Paris, just as between Rabat and Paris,» Sébastien Lecornu recently pointed out in the Journal du Dimanche.

The visit of DGSE chief Nicolas Lerner to Algeria on January 13, revealed by Le Figaro, was probably aimed at «sending messages» in that sense, believes Hasni Abidi, director of the Center for Studies and Research on the Arab and Mediterranean World, also pointing out the concern related to the possible return of jihadist Algerians or Algerians of French origin to Syria.

France and its European neighbors have an interest in Algeria’s stability, which is «a reliable and undeniably important partner» for the European Union, of which it was, in the third quarter of 2024, the third-largest supplier of natural gas and LNG, according to Geoff Porter, director of the North Africa Risk Consulting firm.

• «Slowdowns» and «blockages» –

Although Alger has not yet taken any official retaliatory measures, the French companies on the ground – a total of about 6,000 – are facing «slowdowns» and «blockages» in the issuance of permits and approvals, hindering their operations, according to several sources close to the matter.

Iconic, the Renault factory was supposed to resume production in the Oran region at the end of the summer, after investments aimed at meeting the Algerian specifications, but it still awaits its approval.

When asked by the AFP, the president of the Algerian-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Michel Bisac, deplores the «constant overemphasis» and the 'hysteria» in the debate in France that »does not serve« the French and Algerian operators who trade together.

«We are not sitting on 4.5 billion euros in French exports to Algeria,» he grumbles, citing the 2023 annual figure. «And if the Algerians want to replace French products with other products from China, Turkey, etc., I think they won't have a problem.».

Algeria, which was one of the largest customers of French wheat for producing its bread, no longer imports almost any wheat from France, mainly in favor of Russian grains. And although this trend is «pre-existing» to the current crisis, it «has not helped,» adds Mr. Bisac.

«Algeria has diplomatic alternatives and France no longer weighs as much as it once did in Europe and the world,» believes Erwan Davoux, a former DGSE officer and former chargé de mission to the Elysée for North Africa.

«We have strong relations with Algiers that we must not humiliate with condescending behavior,» he believes. «We cannot allow them to be jeopardized.».

With AFP