Macron Expresses Hope for Long-Term Reconciliation with Algeria Amid Diplomatic Tensions
✏️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada
Algiers, Algeria | September 25th, 2024 — French President Emmanuel Macron has reiterated his desire to move forward with long-term reconciliation efforts with Algeria, focusing on the sensitive issue of historical memory. Macron’s comments, however, come against a backdrop of deepening bilateral tensions following France’s support for Morocco’s controversial “autonomy plan” in Western Sahara—a move that has significantly strained relations with Algeria.
A statement published by the French presidency on September 19, 2024, highlighted Macron’s commitment to memory work, particularly through the Franco-Algerian Commission of Historians. This commission, tasked with studying the colonial-era legacy, has been at the center of reconciliation efforts between the two countries. The French president emphasized the importance of these efforts, stating his determination to continue pursuing “truth and reconciliation” as outlined in the Algiers Declaration, which he signed alongside Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in August 2022.
Macron praised the commission’s progress, thanking its members for their dedication, while urging the continuation of their work to produce actionable proposals for both nations. His remarks also underscored his hope for a “reconciliation between memories,” aimed particularly at educating future generations of both French and Algerian youth.
However, the French leader’s optimism is not shared by the Algerian side, which has expressed frustration over France’s reluctance to return key Algerian archives, a long-standing demand. The hesitation to restitute these records, a move historians see as vital for authentic reconciliation, reflects deeper political hesitations within the French establishment.
Algeria’s Reservations and Diplomatic Strains
Macron’s appeal for long-term memory reconciliation comes at a time when Algerian-French relations are at one of their lowest points in recent years. Algeria recalled its ambassador, Said Moussi, from Paris in July 2024, downgrading diplomatic representation to the level of Chargé d’Affaires. This move followed France’s endorsement of the so-called ‘Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara’, a decision Algeria vehemently opposes, viewing it as undermining Sahrawi self-determination and exacerbating tensions in the region.
The strained relations are also evident in Algeria’s response to French attempts to re-engage on historical reconciliation. Algerian officials have voiced skepticism, citing the unresolved archival issue and France’s continued support for what Algeria sees as a colonial legacy in Western Sahara.
Observers believe that this diplomatic impasse, particularly around the Western Sahara conflict, hampers any immediate progress on the historical memory file. The Algerian Foreign Ministry previously issued a sharp rebuke, stating that France’s stance on the Western Sahara conflict “serves neither peace nor the political resolution of the issue, and instead entrenches the colonial status quo.”
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