Algeria: President Tebboune sets out his conditions before travelling to Paris
The much-anticipated state visit of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to France, a crucial event for Franco-Algerian relations, remains uncertain. Initially scheduled for May 2023, it has faced multiple delays and significant challenges.
While the visit is still on the table, it comes with conditions. The president of Algeria is expected to travel to France for a state visit, but his Minister of Foreign Affairs has outlined a list of conditions that must be met before President Abdelmadjid Tebboune sets foot on French soil.
Five more or less sensitive issues have been cited.
The state visit of the Algerian head of state to France, which has been postponed several times, is «still in the preparation phase», the minister stated in an interview with the Qatari channel Al Jazeera earlier this week.
«Honestly, the conditions for this visit are not suitable», he asserted.
He then listed the priority issues, including memory, mobility, economic cooperation, French nuclear tests in the Algerian Sahara, and the restitution of the sword and burnous of Emir Abdelkader. «We have not reached agreements on these five significant and weighty issues. However, we continue to work on them», the minister reiterated, emphasizing that meetings between officials from both countries are ongoing to prepare for this state visit.
In early August, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune had stated that his state visit to France was still scheduled but depended on the Elysée’s program, emphasizing that a state visit has conditions and is not a tourist visit.
The visit, initially planned for early May, was postponed to June, with Algerians fearing it might be overshadowed by May 1st protests against the highly contested pension reform in France, according to reliable sources.
This visit was meant to mark an improvement in relations between the two countries after numerous diplomatic crises.
Read again: Algeria / Algerian Renaissance: Major achievements under the presidency of H.E. Mr Abdelmadjid Tebboune
Neil Camara
