French President Emmanuel Macron has indicated his willingness to engage in dialogue with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune amid strained relations between the two nations. Macron’s statement suggests a potential shift towards mending the diplomatic rift.
Responding to inquiries about a possible meeting with President Tebboune on the sidelines of the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, President Macron affirmed his commitment to ensuring France’s respect and fostering a serious and calm dialogue.
“If these conditions are met, and if results can be achieved, I will of course be ready for any dialogue,” Macron stated, revealing that French diplomatic teams are actively working towards this objective.
Speculation regarding a potential thaw in Algerian-French relations has been circulating following Algeria’s recent release of French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal. Sansal arrived in Paris earlier today and was received by President Macron at the Élysée Palace, according to reports.
Earlier, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu expressed the government’s relief upon hearing the news of Sansal’s pardon, adding that he hoped the novelist would be reunited with his family as soon as possible and receive medical treatment.
President Tebboune granted Sansal a humanitarian pardon in response to a request from German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The writer had spent a year in prison in Algeria, a situation that fueled a significant diplomatic crisis between Algeria and France.
Relations between Algeria and Paris have deteriorated significantly following France’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara region. The potential meeting between Macron and Tebboune could represent a crucial step towards resolving these ongoing tensions. Further updates will be provided as this situation develops.
