Algeria has lodged a strong protest with France, summoning the chargé d’affaires of the French Embassy in Algiers after Paris linked visa appointments to Algeria’s refusal to accredit certain French diplomatic staff
In a statement, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced what it called “visa blackmail,” describing the French embassy’s recent communiqué as “unacceptable in both form and substance”. The ministry argued that the document violated the spirit and letter of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, while attempting to sway Algerian public opinion by blaming Algiers for the impasse.
According to Algerian officials, the dispute stems from a principle of reciprocity. Algiers noted that France has, for over two years, withheld accreditation for several senior Algerian diplomats and consuls. As a result, three consuls general and six consuls have been left without posts, while 46 other Algerian diplomatic staff remain unable to assume their duties in France.
“This deliberate obstruction gravely harms Algerian nationals in France,” the ministry said, stressing that the move undermines consular services and the protection Algerian citizens are entitled to receive abroad.
Algiers further rejected the notion that the issue is confined to accreditation delays, pointing instead to a wider strategy by Paris to wield visas as a bargaining tool in its tense relations with Algeria.
France, in turn, has argued that it is compelled to reduce available visa appointments in Algeria in order to prioritize services for French citizens, student visas, and renewals, citing the lack of accreditation for its staff.
This confrontation marks a new flashpoint in a series of recurring disputes between the two countries, reflecting deeper strains in a relationship long described as both strategic and fraught.
