Algeria – Visit to Algeria by the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs (7 April 2025)

M. Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, visited Algeria on Sunday 6 April on the invitation of the President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Mr Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and in the presence of the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ahmed Attaf.

The visit follows the telephone conversation between the French President and the Algerian President on Monday 31 March, on the occasion of the Eid festival.

The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs was able to continue the frank discussions begun this week on the state of the bilateral relationship and the tensions that have been mounting in recent months. He also had a working meeting with his Algerian counterpart, Mr Ahmed Attaf, to initiate a new phase in the bilateral relationship and fulfil the goal set by the two heads of State in the Algiers Declaration of 2022.

The talks focused on regional issues and the bilateral relationship between our two countries. Cooperation on defence, security, intelligence and justice was the subject of fruitful and sustained discussions which, among other things, endorsed the resumption of contacts between the intelligence services, meetings between the main security officials, and dialogue on the Sahel.

The ministers also discussed the issue of mobility between France and Algeria, as well as ways of deepening what is effective and constructive consular cooperation, for example by confirming a forthcoming meeting between the Algerian consuls general in France and the prefects.

The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs and his Algerian counterpart also focused on economic cooperation. They agreed to swiftly resolve the difficulties encountered, in particular in the agrifood sector, with the support of the Franco-Algerian joint committee, but also to make progress on key industrial projects for our two countries.

Moreover, and as a follow-up to the 2022 Algiers Declaration, the ministers agreed on the resumption of work by the joint commission of historians, to look more deeply into the issue of historical memory.

Finally, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs reiterated his deep concern over the prison sentence handed to French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, given his age and health. He once again called for his release.