Algeria and France have agreed to immediately resume security cooperation and migration dialogue following a pivotal phone discussion between Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and French President Emmanuel Macron. The Monday conversation marks a significant step toward mending relations strained by historical grievances and policy disagreements.
The leaders committed to restarting a bilateral judicial partnership, with France's justice minister scheduled to visit Algiers soon. A key development includes reviving the Joint Commission of Historians – established in 2022 to address colonial-era tensions – which will deliver findings by summer 2024. This comes days after Algeria's parliament moved to draft legislation criminalizing French colonial rule.
Economic collaboration features prominently in renewed ties, with Macron supporting revisions to the Algeria-EU partnership agreement long criticized by Algiers as imbalanced. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot's upcoming April 6 visit aims to cement progress, while both presidents tentatively plan an in-person summit.
The diplomatic reset follows months of friction over immigration policies, France's stance on Western Sahara disputes favoring Morocco, and Algeria's push for formal recognition of colonial-era injustices. Analysts view the security cooperation revival as crucial for addressing Mediterranean migration flows and regional stability.
