Johannesburg – French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a “calm” and constructive relationship with Algeria, while acknowledging that significant issues remain to be addressed between the two nations. Speaking at a press conference on Saturday during the G20 summit in Johannesburg, Macron emphasized the need for improvement in several key areas.
“I want to build a calm relationship for the future, but we have to correct many things,” Macron stated. He added, “We know that in many issues, such as security, immigration, and the economy, we are not in a satisfactory situation, so we want results.”
A meeting between President Macron and his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, was anticipated on the sidelines of the G20 summit. This followed President Tebboune’s recent pardon of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal. However, President Tebboune ultimately did not travel to Johannesburg.
“A meeting will be held when we have finished preparing it to achieve results,” Macron noted, emphasizing the importance of careful planning and concrete outcomes. He believes progress has been made in recent years, built on a foundation of “respect and high standards.”
The French President lamented attempts to politicize the Algerian relationship within France, and conversely, the tendency to use the relationship with France as a domestic political issue within Algeria. Macron stressed the need to move beyond these internal political considerations to foster a more productive and mutually beneficial partnership.
DZWatch will continue to follow developments in the relationship between France and Algeria.
