Algeria, France agree to resume security, migration cooperation amid diplomatic rift

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, held a phone conversation on Monday, during which they agreed to immediately resume security and migration cooperation between the two countries.

The two leaders held an "open and cordial" discussion about the state of bilateral ties and the tensions that have accumulated in recent months, and reiterated their willingness to resume the fruitful dialogue established in August 2022, according to a statement published by the Algerian Presidency on Facebook.

They agreed on the need to return to an equal dialogue between the two countries and for "the immediate resumption of cooperation on migration in a credible, smooth and effective manner," the statement said.

"The Joint Commission of Historians will resume its work immediately and will meet soon in France," with the outputs of its work and concrete proposals expected by this summer, the statement added.

The joint commission was established in 2022 to settle "the memory issue," which refers to the French colonial rule that began in 1830, before Algeria won its eight-year independence war in 1962.

Bilateral judicial cooperation will also be resumed, with French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin expected to visit Algeria in the near future, the statement noted.

The two leaders stressed the importance of developing bilateral economic cooperation in future fields, with Macron reaffirming France's support for revising the Algeria-EU partnership agreement, which Algiers has long criticized as unbalanced and serving primarily European interests.

During the call, Macron again urged Tebboune "to grant pardon" to jailed French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, an 80-year-old who was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of "undermining national unity," citing his age and health.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot will visit Algiers on April 6 to solidify progress, the statement added, noting that the two presidents agreed in principle to hold an in-person meeting in the near future.

The phone conversation came as the diplomatic rift between Algiers and Paris has deepened in recent months due to disagreements over immigration issues, historical grievances and France's backing of Morocco in disputes over Western Sahara, among other matters.

Algeria has been urging the French government to recognize crimes committed during the 132 years of French colonial rule, a step seen by Algiers as essential for both nations to move beyond past grievances and establish stable and constructive ties.

On March 23, Algeria's parliament established a commission to draft a law criminalizing French colonial rule, a move deemed "historical" and backed by local lawmakers, historians and legal experts.